


Chains of the Past

by Slaskia



Category: Halo
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Family Secrets, Pirates, Treason, gynophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-03
Updated: 2009-03-03
Packaged: 2017-11-15 22:25:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 95,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/532433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slaskia/pseuds/Slaskia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequal to 'The Warriors Agenda'. The Arbiter, Rtas and others have demons from their past they need to face and defeat, along with foes old and new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Memories and Plots

_“Daughter, did you hear the news?”_

_I looked up at my mother, seeing a genuine smile on her face and her eyes nearly over flowing with joy.  What had made her so happy?  “What news mother?” I asked, curious._

_“It is your father.”  She replied, still beaming, though I shuttered at the mere thought of that man.  “He has finally been noticed for his doings and has been branded a traitor.”_

_My hearts leapt for joy at the news.  “Really?” I said, scarcely daring to believe my ears._

_“Yes my dear.” Mother and I embraced, tears in both our eyes.  “He will not be able to come home and hurt us again.”_

_“We are free then…” I said, my voice cracking.  “And …and you can find a mate that will not treat us as he has done.”_

_“No daughter.”  Mother said.  “You are a woman now, have been for some months now.  With your father out of the way, you can find a good man of your own.”_

_“If one would have me…” I said, sorrow creeping into my voice._

_“Do not talk like that.”  Mother scolded.  “No matter what your father has said, you are a beautiful Sangheili.  A finely polished white stone gleaming in the suns.  A fine catch for any male worth his honor.”_

_My hearts beat rapidly with pride: mother was right. I am unlike any other female Sangheili out there.  “A good man….a family of my own….” I whispered blissfully.  It was what I had been hoping, praying for almost all my life.  To have a life far away from father and his cruel fists and even crueler words.  I started day dreaming of what my man would look like, along with my future children._

_The door suddenly slammed open, shattering my daydreams.  Mother and I looked at first in shock, even anger, at the intrusion. However when we recognized the man at the door, our anger turned into terror.  Though he was barely recognizable due to all the bandages on his person, we knew him. Mother and I clung to each other in fear, trembling in his presence._

_Why is father here?  How did he slip by the security teams that were supposed to be keeping in eye out for him?  What is he going to do to us?_

\--- 

She woke up trembling from the dream of the distant past.  Has it really been two years since that day?  Two years since father came home and did the worse thing he could have done to her: disowned her and cast her out of her home, separating her from the only Sangheili that cared for her? 

 _Mother…_ A tear rolled down her face, remembering how she tried to find her mother after her father had finally left, only to find no trace of her.  For all she knew he had killed her, eliminating the one Sangheili that could have vouched for her and enabled her to start a new life.  Now she had nothing, forced to scavenge on the streets for what food was available. 

The temptation to steal and turn to a life of crime was always there, but she would not give in to the temptation.  She would rather save what scraps of honor she had left then to risk becoming a criminal like her father.  No, she would rather die then to end up on the same level as him, though some would say that there was no honor in living on the streets as she was.  That sense of honor was all she had however and she clung to it with all her soul. 

A couple of painful coughs racked her body, leaving her already weakened body even weaker.  _This illness will be the end of me…_ She thought with a sad sigh as she looked at her hand, seeing flecks of her own blood upon it.  _More blood then yesterday…_   The illness had robbed her of her strength and energy, inhibiting her from finding food easily and that, in turn, only allowed the illness to get worse.  She was slowly dying, a fact that was clear to every passerby that did bother to look at her.  However, the only thing any one cared about was the image she portrayed to the area she was in: she had lost count of how many times she was forced to her feet and shoved out of the area this week alone. 

Still looking at her hand she noticed how dull her skin was:  besides being covered in dirt and grime it had long lost the luster her mother had been so proud of.  _No longer am I a finely polished white stone…that would catch the eye of many men…_ She thought.  _Only a homeless dying wretch no one would look twice at._  

Drawing up her legs so she could bury her head in her knees, she wept.  Her dreams of living in a happy home with a loving mate and children were just that, dreams.  Dreams shattered and cast upon on the hot Sangheilios wind to never be seen again…. 

\-- 

Rtas ‘Vadum looked at the small container he had placed on his bed, knowing what it held and what it meant to him.  A part of him did not want to open it, the same part that was hesitant to do so every time this day of the year came around.  With a heavy sigh he opened it, revealing a battered Spec Ops helmet not too different from his own, only it wasn’t his. 

Gingerly, he lifted the helmet from its protective casing and with a rag he started to buff away any tarnish and dust that had collected on it over the last year.  It was a ritual he would perform on the same day every year, on a day of special meaning to him.  When he was done, he lifted the helmet up and touched the forehead plate with his own. 

“Father…”  He whispered, remembering when they used to do this when he was still alive. Rtas set the helmet down on his pillow and stared at it, letting the memories flood his mind.  His time with his real father had been the happiest days of his childhood and into his adult years, until the war took his life. 

Yet as much as his father loved him, told him how proud he was of him, there was one thing Rtas could not bare to tell him.  A great shame he had carried, and burdened by ever since he had first realized it while he was still a Minor. No one knew of this deep shameful secret of his, not even the Arbiter, because he knew they would never understand and that he would be the butt of everyone’s jokes for the rest of his life. 

 _You helped me become the man I am today father…_ He thought, stroking the helmet with a finger.  _You saved what was left of my sanity by taking me away from that place, gave me a sense of family I did not have.  Yet I could never tell you…what had been done to me before you came.  How it gave me my own mark of shame and how it keeps me from carrying on your legacy, no matter how much I desire to.  Can you forgive me, father, for my weakness?_  

The helmet gave no answer, for it was only an inanimate object, the sole reminder of his father and not his father himself.  With a sigh he picked up the helmet again and put it back in its case, which he then pushed under his bed where it would remain until next year. He then walked out of his quarters and headed to the bridge. 

 _This…is my family now._   He thought as he nodded in acknowledgment to fellow Sangheili as he passed by.  _The only family I have…can ever have…._  

There was a loud scream of rage, and Rtas turned, seeing a couple of _familiar_ Minors rush out of a room and speed away like their lives depended on it. Seconds after, he saw the recently promoted Tegs ‘Vatem chasing after them with a blood thirsty look in his eyes.  The Shipmaster blinked, then groaned when he saw the reason for ‘Vatem’s fury:  apparently Sani and Runi took issue to their friend being promoted to Major and had painted his shiny new armor pink.... 

 _Though some members of this family I can do without…_ Rtas thought, sighing heavily as he ran after them in hopes of keeping the furious ‘Vatem from killing his _former_ buddies…. 

\-- 

Kesi ‘Musav grinned, liking what he saw.  On the hologram before him was a space station he and his troops had ‘claimed’ about a year ago and he got the report that it was finally fully operational.  Even better news was the word that the small colony they had started on the planet the station was orbiting was progressing nicely.  Both were in a section of the galaxy neither the humans nor the Sangheili Loyalists ventured frequently since the end of the war, so they made the perfect hideout. 

 _Much work still needs to be done._ He reminded himself, his grin fading slightly.  Over the last two years the numbers of those under him had grown, discontent Sangheili from all over coming to him and joining his ranks. Unfortunately, they could not bring any other ship with them besides small transports, so at present the _Righteous Justice_ was the only warship they had.  Besides, though he now had a full crew again, there was yet enough to fill another destroyer, let alone something bigger then that.  

It was best to keep a low profile anyway, with the exception of the supply raids he ran.  As of yet the Sangheili Council did not see him as a big enough threat to commit a full force to tracking him down, despite the Arbiter’s urging.  _Arbiter…_ He thought with a growl, one hand reaching up to feel the scar on his face, where the Arbiter had taken not only part of his mandible but his right eye as well.  Still, he took some small comfort in that Arbiter was pretty much forbidden to hunt him down himself, thanks to the Councilors making him their Ambassador. Kesi had a good long laugh when he heard about it: the noble Arbiter, the holy warrior, stuck in the realm of endless politics! 

With the Arbiter so…preoccupied…Kesi could plot without much worry.  The big one he was working on was establishing a true separatist faction that was self sufficient.  He had this idea in the back of his mind when he attempted to start another war, one he started refining the moment he realized that particular plot would fail.  

The first step had been to return to Sangheilios to tie up some loose ends, which the Councilors assisted with in their own way, if only unintentionally.  Along with those loose ends he instructed his troops to ‘invite’ their wives and children to come with them.  Some were naïve enough to do so, but most had to be outright kidnapped.  The troops that joined him later did the same and quickly the ship had gotten overcrowded. 

This was why he took this station and the planet; to get those annoying wives and kids off his ship.  While some of them turned out to be supportive or easily turned, others had to be restrained: a couple unfortunately had to be silenced permanently.  He did not regret this, however, as in this critical time he could not afford for the Councilors to get wind of this ‘unauthorized’ colony he was starting. 

Also, as a precaution, he had a number of followers remain on Sangheilios as spies.  These spies gave him vital intel on the political situation as well as critical information about supply ships, which, unfortunately, he still needed to hit to resupply his own stores.  He made sure to hit human supply ships as well, mainly for the ‘meat’ supply. 

Thinking about it made his stomach rumble.  With a grunt, he rose from his chair and headed for the kitchen, to fetch the human arm he left in there just for this situation….


	2. Remembering

The Arbiter looked through his selection of robes, trying to decide which one to wear.  He didn’t want to look too important, yet he didn’t want to look like a lower class Sangheili either.  The grey one?  No, blends in too well with his skin tone.   Black?  No, the material on this one was semi-transparent so he’d have to wear something else underneath to hide the Mark of Shame: with how hot it was out there he didn’t want to cook himself.  He had other types of clothing besides robes he could wear, but he felt like wearing a robe today. 

“How about the maroon one with no trim?”  A voice suggested behind him. He turned around and looked down at his good friend and companion, Vl’asuna.  The Lipor was currently sorting what she called her ‘memory hoard’, a collection of small interesting objects a Lipor found interesting or was part of a significant event in their life.  Glancing at it, he saw a couple of things he recognized: the sniper round that nearly took his life and the piece of mandible guard he had personally sliced off that traitor Kesi ‘Musav’s face.  Most of the rest looked to be ordinary precious and semi-precious stones from her homeworld, though he thought he saw a piece of foil from the food ration package he had given her the day they first met. 

The Arbiter remembered the brief trip back to her homeworld to claim the part of her memory hoard she had left behind.  That had been an interesting event:  Vl’asuna had to explain to the other natives that he was no threat to them and boy, were the Gurgen surprised to learn that he followed their gods. He was forced to explain how that came to be and eventually they let them go.  An experience that was a bit nerve wracking, though if some of the natives could be 80 feet tall at the shoulder and spit _lightning_ out of their mouth, anyone with a head on their shoulders would be nervous. 

There were other strange things about the planet as well.  Creatures that lived as part of the very ground they stood on and many beings wielded something they called magic, not to mention those same 80 foot tall Gurgen could fly when that should be _physically_ impossible.  It made his head hurt just trying to absorb it all, but over all, the planet was peaceful and a place he wouldn’t mind visiting again. 

“By the way…” Vl’asuna continued.  “I thought it was the _females_ that were supposed to be indecisive about what they wore?”  The edges of her mouth were pulled back in a Lipor version of a smirk. 

“You say that every time I am about to go out ‘Mura.” He said teasingly, reaching down to scratch the Lipor’s head. 

Vl’asuna chuckled.  “Seeing you are not even considering the Arbiter armor I am assuming you intend this outing to be an anonymous one.” She stated.  “And that you wish to go alone.” 

“You know as well as I that it would turn a leisurely stroll into a political outing.”  He said with a sigh.  “The same would be if you were with me.” 

“Yes….being the only member of my kind on this world _and_ being well known as your companion does that.”  She said sorrowfully.  “Still too hot out anyway.” 

The Arbiter grunted in agreement, finally deciding upon the maroon robe Vl’asuna suggested: for a being that didn’t have to worry about what to wear she had a good sense of what other’s should wear.  Of course, the major problem she had was that during the summer time, even with her shorter summer coat in, she overheated too quickly during the day outside.  He did jokingly suggest having all the fur shaved off once, only for her to threaten to give him a few new ‘marks of shame’ if he even pointed a shaver in her direction.  So any outside exertions for her happened at night, when she took it upon herself to patrol the property for invaders and potential assassins. 

He sighed quietly, remembering with a bit of shame that Kesi and his lackeys were still out there.  The traitor hated the alliance between humans and Sangheili with a fervor that was nearly equal to the Prophets ‘religion’.  He remembered how he barely survived Kesi’s attempt on his life, his life spared only with the grace of one of Vl’asuna’s gods, Azuwezia, after whom he had renamed himself out of gratefulness.  He remembered the last confrontation where, disguised as a Minor, the duel he and the traitor got into, one that nearly cost him his life once again if the Master Chief had not intervened. 

Bitterly he recalled what happened after that.  Kesi had managed to escape and he had ordered all ships within the allied fleet to shoot his ship on sight.  However, the ever wise and noble Sangheili Councilors did not take too well to him giving such an order without their approval and revoked the order.  It took hours of arguing before he convinced the Councilors otherwise and by then Kesi and his ship, _Righteous Justice,_ had disappeared into the emptiness of space, having briefly docked at the port in Sangheilios space. 

When the Arbiter found out about that, he ended up ranting about the uselessness of politicians for nearly an hour.  Unfortunately, the Councilors got wind of this rant and felt that since the Arbiter seemed to think he knew politics so well they decided to make him Sangheilios’ official Ambassador.  They claimed they were thinking about creating such a position anyway and gave the excuse that since he had the most ‘personal’ experience with humans that he made the most logical choice for the position.  The Arbiter knew that was a bunch of Brute dung the moment he heard it: they just wanted to keep a tighter leash on him. 

He got the feeling the Councilors and the human leadership were in together on this little act, as the humans had assigned Sergeant Major Avery Johnson as _their_ Ambassador, no doubt to torment him.  Fortunately, Johnson hated the position as much as he did, making them odd brothers in misery.  He had to admit though, this Ambassador stuff did keep him busy, even if he did hate it.  However, the Arbiter would much rather hunt down Kesi, whom had taken up piracy in the two years since their battle and harassed both human and Sangheili ships alike.  How much more damage will that man be able to do before he is finally caught? 

“Thinking about Kesi?”  Vl’asuna said, breaking his line of thought.  The Arbiter simply nodded in conformation, smiling slightly in amazement at how the Lipor was able to read his thoughts so accurately.  “Justice will be done to him.”  She assured him.  “It’s only a matter of time.” 

“But how much more damage will he do before then?”  He growled. 

“Your people as a whole are supportive of the alliance and of you. They see him as a traitor that needs to be brought in for justice.”  She said.  “He cannot break something that is so firmly held.” 

“Yes…it is only a matter of time…”  The Arbiter said with another growl.  “I pray every night Ramekozu passes judgment on him.”  Ever since Vl’asuna had explained to him the roles of her gods and what was expected of her from them, he had taken them up as his own deities.  ‘Live the best life as you can, so long as you do no harm to other’s without due cause’ was the one rule they set and one so simple and anyone could live by it.  Yet his new beliefs was a little fact he kept from others, knowing he’d get odd looks at best, called crazy or a heretic at worse.  The reason was another, unwritten rule, his new deities had:  that everyone’s path was different and that the path must be discovered on their own.  The divine intervention he had when he was but a thin thread away from death was enough for him to know what path he had to take. 

“He will, in due time.”  Vl’asuna said.  “When he does, it usually is…poetic justice…I believe the phrase is?  Yet there is something else bothering you…”  She added, changing the subject.  “You are restless….” 

“What makes you say that?”  He said, straightening his robe after putting it on. 

“Your lone trips on your own have become more frequent.”  The Lipor pointed out.  “You seek something I think…what is it?” 

“I…I don’t know.”  He admitted.  It was true; he was restless, despite how busy his ‘ambassador’ duties kept him.  It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch, an urge he couldn’t satisfy and it grew stronger, more urgent with each passing day.  “I feel something is missing, something very important, but I do not know what.” 

Vl’asuna tilted her head to one side in thought.  Then she shook her head with a sigh. “I cannot help you there my friend.”  She said regretfully.  “Especially since I do not know what it is you feel you are missing.”  

“I am sure I will figure it out in time…”  Azu said with a sigh.  

Vl’asuna walked over and rubbed her head against his leg: a Lipor form of affection. “Go on, perhaps…what you are seeking will be found this day.  The gods willing of course.” 

“Of course.”  Azu walked to the door and it hissed open, the heat of the day blasting against him like an open furnace. 

“I smell water on the air.”  ‘Vl’asuna said as he walked out.  “Could be rain.” 

Azu looked up at the cloudless sky.  “I doubt it.” He said.  “The neighbors are probably watering their garden.” 

“Well if you come back in soaking wet….don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

\-- 

A rough nudge woke her from her slumber.  Looking up, she saw an unsympathetic Zealot, who apparently didn’t take kindly to her resting so close to his doorstep, glowering down at her.  “Away from here, wretch!”  He growled, his gold armor gleaming in the sunlight.  When she didn’t start moving fast enough he sent a kick her way, forcing her scrambling out of his way.  “Go die out in some alley somewhere with the rest of the trash!”  The Zealot hissed. 

As she weakly walked away, she looked back to see a second figure emerge from a residence: a tall proud female. “Is it gone?”  The female asked her companion. 

“Yes dear, I sent it away.”  The Zealot reassured her, giving her an affectionate nuzzle. 

“Disgusting things…why cannot they just kill themselves rather then to allow themselves to languish in filth like that?”  The female said disgusted. 

“That is not for _us_ to worry about.”  The Zealot replied.  “Come, the market awaits.” 

From a safe distance she stood and watched as the couple walked away, arms around each other.  _That should be me…_   She thought sorrowfully, feeling envious of the female, envy that turned into bitterness.   “You should not be so proud of yourselves!” She growled, her voice raspy and rough.  “You never know when you may end up in my hooves!” 

“What was that?”  The Zealot growled, turning toward her. 

“You heard me.”  She rasped, standing as tall and proud as she could.  “You think you are so big and mighty….yet you know nothing!  Nothing at all!” 

The Zealot stormed toward her and grabbed her by the neck.  “Do you have a death wish?” He growled. 

She laughed, weakly.  “Go ahead…” She said sadly.  “Nothing you can do to me can match what has already been done.” 

The gold armored Sangheili seemed to consider, one hand moving toward his energy sword.  She closed her eyes, waiting for the end.  Suddenly, he threw her to the ground.  “You are not worth the effort.” He snarled as he turned away, rejoining his mate. 

Weakly she got back to her feet and watched them go.  _I am not even worthy of death by their hands…_   She thought bitterly, turning away and wandering off. As she walked she was dimly aware of the disgusted stares from other Sangheili, but she did not care, hadn’t cared for a long time now.  _Everyone only cares about themselves._   She thought sadly.  _Only do things when it benefits them.  No one cares about those who cannot help the situation they are in…_  

The suns were sapping what strength she had and she was forced to stop to rest under some shade offered by an awning.  Sinking to her knees, she coughed a few times, realizing that her little outburst had made her condition worse over all.  _How much longer will the fates leave me to suffer so?_ She wondered as she buried her head between her knees.  _How much longer must I live this terrible life?_


	3. What is Missing

The Arbiter walked down the city streets with no particular destination in mind, admiring the architecture and observing his people going about their daily lives.  Most he saw were of merchant and other non military castes, and most of those were female due to most males joining the military as soon as they come of age.  Those males that were in the crowd not in armor were most likely individuals that couldn’t or wouldn’t join the military for some reason, likely traditional or medical reasons.  _Or they could be doing what I am and not wanting to flaunt their status._ He thought as he entered a market area. 

The place was only lightly populated, due to the time of day, so he had no difficulty walking through, browsing casually.  He enjoyed the feeling of being able to walk through a place like this without anyone recognizing him, yet at the same time he felt terribly exposed. Unarmed, with only his lack of obvious identity for protection and his military training for defense, though the latter should be sufficient to handle most situations.  Also on his side, though, was the lack of people that knew he had taken up the name Azu ‘Ramiz, so he revealed it freely knowing people wouldn’t make the immediate connection that he was the Arbiter, so long as they didn’t see the Mark of Shame. 

To his right he saw a couple, the male clad in his golden armor, browsing a clothing stand.  The male had one arm tenderly around his mate’s back as they discussed the wares before them.  The Arbiter felt a pang of envy, remembering what he had lost when he was branded a heretic: what little family he had was stripped from him. His father had no longer wanted anything to do with him, disowned him actually, and was killed during the Brutes attempted genocide of his people.  His mother died shortly after, out of despair and grief from what he had heard and he was an only child.  Neither had lived long enough to hear how he had redeemed himself, leaving him with no chance of reclaiming his original name.  Worse of all though, was the death of his only son at the hands of his mate, whom had done it out of the mistaken belief the child would be better off dead then to continue living with the supposed shame of having a disgraced father.  His mate was executed for her crime shortly after he returned to Sangheilios when the war ended. 

He forced himself to tear his gaze away from the couple and continue on, his envy threatening to turn into bitterness.  The Arbiter missed having a mate of his own and one would think his status would net him any female he wanted, but in this time of transition, potential mates, or their fathers for that matter, were uncertain he would be a _safe_ bet.  The Arbiter was supposed to die on his mission for the Prophets after all, as each one had before him.  That he hadn’t and turned the Arbiter into something of a leader of his people after their separation from the Covenant had left many confused on how to treat him in terms of marriage material: the Mark of Shame didn’t help matters any, since it still held a lot of stigma.  Plus, he couldn’t bear the thought of accepting a female that only accepted him because of his status: what happened last time was still too raw in his mind. 

There was a loud crack of thunder and he looked up to see dark clouds starting to fill the sky.  _‘Mura you never cease to amaze me…_ He thought with a chuckle as a moment later thick, heavy drops of rain started pouring down:  within seconds he was drenched.  Around him shoppers and shopkeepers alike took shelter from the storm and with nothing else better to do he himself started home at a quick pace.  

\-- 

The sound of thunder woke her from her light slumber and she raised her head in time to see the rain start to fall.  _Great…just what I need._   She thought, burying her head in her legs again.  The dampness now in the air along with the drop in temperature would only make her condition worse.  At least she was already under shelter, though at any moment some privileged bastard would likely kick her out of it to hog it for him or her self. 

She felt herself starting to shake due to the chill she now felt, only adding to her misery.  Another couple of painful coughs wracked her body, adding pain as a reason for her trembling.  It was only then that she became aware that the rain had increased in intensity and that someone had joined her in this little shelter. 

Someone that was staring at her… 

\-- 

The downpour became so fierce that the Arbiter was forced to take shelter under an awning and wait out the worst of the storm.  He didn’t mind walking in the rain actually, but Vl’asuna was going to be teasing him enough as is and he didn’t want to come home with a lake worth of water in his robe.  Besides, it didn’t rain all that often in this region of Sangheilios, so he wanted to enjoy it while he could.  Then a couple of painful sounding coughs startled him out of his admiration of the current weather.  Looking down he saw to his shock that he was not alone in this limited shelter, and he cursed himself for not noticing the individual before. 

It was a fellow Sangheili, but due to the position it was in, sitting with his or her head between its arms and legs, he couldn’t tell if it was male or female.  The skin of this individual was very pale, almost white, sickly looking with its skin stretched tightly over its bony frame.  The robe the figure was wearing was grey, very tattered and worn: coupled with the state of its body it was obvious this individual had been experiencing hard times for a while.  On top of that, the figure was trembling, the weakened state he or she was in unable to cope with the drop in temperature the rain brought, and the coughing sounded terrible. 

“Take…a picture…”  The figure suddenly rasped, sounding even worse: he barely identified the voice as female.  “It will last much longer then me…” 

He felt his hearts sink looking at this poor female, realizing that unless something was done quickly, she likely wasn’t going to last the coming night.  Looking up, he saw that the rain had abated somewhat, so he reached down and hauled the sickly female to her feet, briefly surprised at how small she was.  “Come on…let us get you to a hospital.” He said as he helped her down the street: fortunately he knew there was a hospital close by. 

“Hospital?”  The female laughed, only to start coughing painfully a moment.  “Look at me….no facility will admit the likes of me….” 

“Not if I have anything to do with it.”  The Arbiter said determined.  “What is your name?” 

“Name?”  The female sighed.  “What name I have left has been tarnished and stripped of honor, though no fault of my own.” 

“I do not care, what is it?”  He insisted. 

There was pause before she replied.  “Sari. “ 

“I am Azu.”  He told her. 

“Why are you doing this?  I doubt I will last the night even if the hospital takes me in.” 

“If you are to die tonight…let it at least be in a place of warmth and comfort, and save what dignity and honor you have remaining.” 

There was a moment of stunned silence before she said with a weak but grateful voice.  “Thank you…” 

\-- 

It felt like a dream.  Someone actually looked beyond her wretched form and was helping her, taking pity upon her.  She wanted to weep for joy, but she barely had the energy now.  After a couple of moments of walking, her strength ran out and she started to fall.  The male, Azu, caught her and lifted her up into his arms with ease and started to simply carry her the rest of the way.  He didn’t seem to care about the odd looks he was being given by passing Sangheili, the questions about his character would no doubt be raised. 

 _A good man…_ She thought.  _I finally found one…but…too late…_. Sari rested her head on his chest, hearing his strong hearts beating underneath.  She felt the warmth of his body penetrate her own skin, driving away some of the chill and returning a small part of her strength.   His deep baritone voice was kind and reassuring as he kept talking to her, telling her to hang on, that she will be alright:  she really wanted to believe that. 

Deep in her heart she felt a small glimmer of hope and she dared the fates by clinging to it with all her strength… 

\-- 

She didn’t have the strength to walk under her own power the whole way, so the Arbiter carried her down the last stretch.  Fortunately (and unfortunately) she weighed next to nothing, so carrying her was no problem. Once inside he thanked the gods that the hospital wasn’t busy.  However, when he approached the clerk at the front desk, he realized he was going to have a fight on his hands. 

“Evening sir.”  The nurse said respectfully, though with a look of distaste at the figure in his arms.  “How can I help you?” 

“This female needs immediate medical attention.”  The Arbiter said.  “She needs to be admitted for treatment.” 

The nurse looked her over with a look of disgust.  “I’m sorry sir, but it appears it may be too late for her.” 

“We don’t know unless we try.”  He insisted. 

“And why waste precious resources on a pathetic creature such as that.”  The nurse said with a snarl. 

The Arbiter felt his blood start to boil.  “She is a Sangheili like you and me…and deserves the same service as us.”  He said, his voice rising. 

“She is obviously an outcast.” The nurse said evenly, glaring at him defiantly.  “We do not admit _their_ kind here.” 

“You _will_ admit her!” He snapped, aware the heated exchange had drawn the attention of everyone in the room, but right now he didn’t care. 

“Under whose authority!?”  The nurse snapped back. 

“Mine!” Without hesitation he pulled down the collar of his robe to reveal his Mark.  With grim satisfaction he saw the nurse’s face drain of color when she realized who he was. 

“Ar….Arbiter….” She stammered, bowing.  “Forgive me…I did not recognize you…I will get a bed prepared for her right away….” 

He watched the nurse hurry off, glaring daggers at her back and then looked down at Sari, whom looked weaker then before and seemed to have lost consciousness.  “Hang in there…Sari…” He told her.  Sari opened one eye to regard him weakly and he noticed for the first time her eyes were a pale ice blue in color.  Such an odd and rare color for his species: he couldn’t stop looking into its depths.  There was something about her…. 

A moment later a team of doctors and nurses whisked her away toward her uncertain future.  The Arbiter found it hard to leave, even though he knew it was out of his hands now.  The storm however had intensified again, deciding for him that he would stay awhile.  With a sigh, he sat down in one of the waiting room chairs and waited for the storm to abate again. 

 _Azuwezia…_ He thought as he watched the rain pound the streets outside.  _Please lend her your strength so she may survive….or at least make it so that the last moments of her life are without suffering…_  

It was all that he could do, was pray and hope she survived, for he somehow knew he would feel terrible if his effort to save her proved to be futile.  As he waited his mind drifted… 

 _“Be warned, there will come a time in your life where you feel the world is about to end, a pain like you have never felt before.  Something that faith cannot sooth, but only a loving heart can.”_   

As he continued to watch the rain his mind recalled what Azuwezia told him that day over two years ago, though he was not certain why he recalled that particular part now.  Did it have something to do with Sari?  If so, why?  He did feel something in his hearts when he looked into her eyes, but what it was he did not know.  _What are you trying to tell me Azuwezia?_ He thought, a part of him wondering if she was responsible for the rain that enabled him to discover Sari.  Was the goddess allowed to control the elements on a world she was not in charge of?


	4. Questions

“Your Excellency.” 

The voice jarred him back into the here and now and he cursed himself for letting himself drift off and not be aware of his surroundings.  “Yes?” He replied, looking up at the nurse that had not so long ago been so defiant toward him. 

“I…I had thought you may want to know her condition.”  The nurse said, hesitantly. 

He found himself eagerly nodding.  “I do.” He replied. 

“Well…”  The nurse started punching things on the data pad she had in her hand.  “She has a severe respiratory infection, and malnourishment due to starvation.  We are still running tests to see what the state of her internal organs are, to see if her body had started consuming them for energy.  If so, there is nothing we can do for her but ease her path into the afterlife.  Even if it had not, her chances are still slim due to the infection.  Frankly, I am surprised we have not found more wrong with her so far, but as I said we are still conducting tests.” 

“What about her skin?”  He asked, wondering if her condition was the reason for her paleness. 

“You mean her coloration…actually that’s ‘normal’ for her from what we discovered.”  The nurse replied.  “She’s leucistic.” 

The term was unfamiliar to him.  “An albino?”  He asked, taking a stab at its meaning. 

“No, though most people do confuse the two.  An albino lacks only a certain kind of pigment, but everywhere on the body and would have purple eyes due to lack of any pigment in the iris and the blood being the only source of color.   Those that are leucistic lack any kind of pigment but only in the skin, so have normal colored eyes.  Her eyes are a very rare coloration however: pale blue, which I would imagine would cause some to confuse her for an albino anyway.  Either way…like albinos, the poor dear cannot stay out in the suns too long, since the pigment in the skin is what is needed to protect against the harmful elements of their rays.” 

 _Poor dear indeed…_ The Arbiter thought, thinking of how ironic it was for her to be calling Sari that since she initially was refusing to let her in at all.  “What treatments can you give her?” He asked. 

“Right now she is too weak physically to likely survive treatment.”  The nurse said with a sigh.  “We are giving her nutrients and fluids intravenously to help strengthen her body.  If she survives the night, we can see about starting her on a course of antibiotics.  No promises though.” 

“Understood.” 

“May I be frank…Excellency?” 

The Arbiter looked up at her with a critical look, which made her step back a bit.  “Go ahead.” He said in a warning tone. 

“While I am sure she appreciates what you are doing for her, chances are that even if she pulls through she will end up right back where she was before. It is obvious she has no family or at least one that cares about her. Sadly, I have seen this a few times in my time here.  Homeless come in for treatment, only to end up back on the streets again and again, building up debt as they do so and passing it on to the rest of society.  It became such a problem that we ended up having to start refusing them treatment.” 

“So you gave up on the ones that are most vulnerable.”  The Arbiter growled, rising to his feet. 

“It…it was not _our_ decision Arbiter…”  The nurse said, stepping back a few more paces.  “Due to the war we were strapped for resources and we had to make cuts some where!  At least that is what I was told!” 

“We are no longer at war….”  He snarled.  “So I believe you need to take a new look at your ‘policies’.” The Arbiter turned abruptly and started for the door, sick of this place now.  “I will return in the morning to see how Sari is doing.” 

“Sari?”  The nurse said questioningly. 

“That is her name. Take note of it.”  He growled, looking back at her. 

“Y…yes sir….” 

\--- 

By the time he got home the rain almost completely stopped, though he was still fuming at the audacity of what he had just experienced.  Vl’asuna was outside, having obviously been enjoying the rain: Lipor she had told him once, _loved_ water in almost any shape or form.  Her fur was plastered to her hide, making her look thinner then she usually was: the ridge of fur that normally stuck up from the top of her head and neck was drooping with some of it in her face. 

“Took a longer stroll then usual I see.”  She commented teasingly.  “Had to take shelter from the rain I take it?” 

The Arbiter grunted, not in the mood for her antics.  “Do shake yourself off before you come inside.”  He said, a bit more harshly then he meant to as he went inside. The first thing he did was peel off his drenched robe, which he tossed into the bathroom to let it dry off a bit, and then grabbed a towel to dry himself off.  As he did he heard Vl’asuna come in. 

“Alright, what is eating at you?”  She asked. He looked over at her briefly, noting that her fur was now sticking out all over the place.  If he wasn’t in such a sour mood he’d be laughing at her right now. 

The Arbiter didn’t answer right away, trying to both calm himself down and find the words to explain what he had just experienced: he did not want to take out his anger on her.  Vl’asuna, for her part, simply sat and waited, having gone through this before with him a few times over the last couple of years.  Usually it was over the idiocy of the Councilors, but this would not be the case this time. 

Finally he told her about Sari and the reluctance of the hospital staff to treat her.  Vl’asuna listened intently and patiently.  “That is despicable.”  She said in agreement once he was finished.  “And yet…”  She added with a note of regret.  “I can kind of see their reasoning behind it.” 

“’Mura!”  He said, shocked as he put on a dry robe. 

She held up a paw to cut him off.  “Just because I understand their reasoning does not mean I agree with it.”  She clarified and he breathed a sigh of relief.  “I do hope though that the fact you had to reveal yourself as the Arbiter to get them to take her in doesn’t come back to bite you were it hurts.” 

“Yeah well, I hope instead of biting me in the rear it would serve as a good example of how we should treat those that cannot help themselves.” The Arbiter grumbled. 

“I hope so as well.  Do you think she will pull through?” 

“I do not know.”  He said with a sigh.  “I hope she does.  I will know in the morning when I go visit.” 

“Do not forget you have that ‘meeting’ in the morning with the Councilors.”  Vl’asuna said as she started working on getting her fur back in order. 

“Ugh….do not remind me.”  The Arbiter groaned.  “Politics…I would rather fight the Flood.”  He put his mind back on Sari and a disturbing question came to mind.  “Why her….” 

“Excuse me?”  Vl’asuna asked, pausing in her grooming. 

“During my ‘walks’ I know I passed by dozens of Sangheili that were similarly down on their luck, yet…I paid them no heed.” He explained.  “What was it about Sari that made me act?  By the Rings…if the rain had not intensified to the point where I was forced to take shelter I probably would have passed her by as well.” 

The Lipor’s ears flicked as she absorbed this.  “You said she was sick, practically on deaths door, when you found her.” 

“It is not just that…there is something else…”  The Arbiter sat down on the couch.  “She was….so small…pale…I…could not help but feel sorry for her.  When I looked into her eyes, they seemed to draw me into them.  There is something between us…something important...but I do not know what.” 

“You felt the need to protect her, to care for her?” 

“In a way…yes.”  He admitted.  “But it is kind of hard to describe what I was feeling.” 

“Is she only a child?”  She tilted her head in question. 

“Hard to say, I really was not paying attention to her…um…level of physical maturity that much.  She did seem smaller then a female usually is, but whether or not that is due to possibility of her not being fully mature I do not know.  The nurse did not mention anything on if she was still a minor or not.” 

“The rain forced you to take shelter, you mentioned.”  Vl’asuna said slowly.  “Sounds like it was a bit of intervention on the goddess’ part.” 

“That thought did cross my mind.”  The Arbiter admitted.  “But does Azuwezia have the…authority to affect my world like that?” 

“Not Azuwezia, but the Mother herself.  _She_ wanted you to find Sari, I think.” 

“But why her and not someone else?” 

“Why does the Mother do anything?”  Vl’asuna countered.  “You forget she is everywhere and everything and thus can manipulate things as she wishes.  Besides, you have been searching for something, something you felt you were missing; perhaps She helped you find it?” 

The Arbiter thought a moment and realized that sense of something missing in his life was no longer there.  “Perhaps so…” He said softly.  “But I still do not know what it was I was missing in the first place.” 

“In time you will figure it out, I am certain.” 

\-- 

She must have drifted off, for the next thing she was aware of was a hospital room.  The bright lights hurt her eyes and the constant beeping on hospital machinery was quickly getting annoying.  However, she felt warm and a bit stronger then before, so she forced herself to take the annoyances in stride.  In her arm she noticed a couple of IV tubes, each containing a different type of fluid.  Sari also noticed they gave her a bath, all the dirt and grime was gone from her skin, though it still didn’t have the luster it used to have.  _Perhaps in time it will be back._   She thought to herself. 

“Who let this pathetic creature in?”  A voice said just outside her room, making her cringe.  From her position she could not see the speaker, but from the voice she could tell it was a female. 

“Ware your words!”  Another said in response, also female.  “The Arbiter himself brought her in!” 

“Why would the noble Arbiter dirty his hands like that?” The first voice said, scornful. 

“Perhaps he is trying to tell us something.”  The other voice said.  “Like how we need to take better care of those less fortunate then ourselves?” 

“Bah!  If he wants to waste his time and funds on the lesser, let him.  They do not deserve my sympathy.”  Sari saw briefly a female nurse pass by her door, looking quite grumpy. 

“May the Forerunners keep the Arbiter from hearing you say such things.”  She barely heard the second voice mutter before the owner left herself, no doubt to tend to other patients. 

 _The Arbiter?_ She thought, confused.  _Azu…the one that helped me…he was the Arbiter?_   Sari had only heard legends of the Arbiter and a few scant tales of the current one, tales she wasn’t sure were true or not.  What she did know was that the Arbiter was the most revered of the Sangheili ranks, second only to the Council in power.  If someone as powerful and noble as him could look beyond her pathetic state and see that she was a person like he was, perhaps there was hope for her after all. 

 _Do I dare to dream again?_ She thought, unsure of the answer.  _Do I dare hope that this is a sign that my life will change for the better?_  

She could only pray that was the case.


	5. Identity

The meeting with the Councilors took longer then he’d like.  Quite frankly, he wasn’t sure why he was required to participate, as the elder Sangheili rarely asked for his opinion on anything.  The Arbiter suspected some of them were trying to get into his favor, but truth of it was he didn’t like any of them, _especially_ after they made him Ambassador.  Wrinkly gas bags, all of them and unappreciative of what he had done for them: like saving their asses from the Brutes.  Hell, one of them, Hyso ‘Malic was his name, was one of the lucky ones that hadn’t even been on High Charity when the slaughter started.  Worse, he thought the murder of the other Councilors was some big conspiracy no matter how much the other four Councilors attested to the truth of it.  

On top of that, he couldn’t stop worrying about Sari, wondering if she pulled through or not.  It was hard not to dwell on her too much during the meeting, as the Councilors would surely notice.  He knew _that_ would actually ask for his opinion on something, knowing he hadn’t been paying attention.  ‘Malic especially seemed to love to try to embarrass him whenever possible and the Arbiter suspected the Ambassador thing had been his idea: as the eldest of the remaining Councilors, he had the pull to get the others to agree to it. 

Finally the meeting was over and he quickly excused himself.  He headed straight for the hospital, not bothering to stop by his home to change.  As a result, he got more then a few gasps of surprise when the hospital staff saw him come in with his Arbiter armor on.  The nurse at the front desk stood and bowed in respect: he noted it was a different one then the one he dwelt with yesterday. 

“Arbiter, your Excellence.” She said.  “How may I be of assistance?” 

“Sari, the leucistic female that was admitted yesterday.  How is she?” He asked evenly and calmly, though inside he was a bundle of worry. 

“Sari…Sari….”  The nurse punched a few keys on her console.  “Ah yes. She is lucky, if she had not been brought in yesterday she would not have made it through the night.” 

He let loose the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.  “Can she have visitors?” He asked. 

More typing on the console.  “I do not see why not, so go on ahead Excellency.”  She said.  “She is in Room five down the left hall toward the end.” 

“Thank you.”  He nodded his thanks and started down the hall.  Around him, he heard staff and patients alike whispering and pointing, but he ignored it.  When he reached the room he lingered just in the doorway for a moment, feeling hesitant but unsure why.  Was it because he feared what this would do to his reputation?  That couldn’t be, as he didn’t care about that yesterday or just now.  He took a deep breath and went in, only for it to be taken away due to the shock of how different she looked. 

She definitely _looked_ a little healthier, her skin cleaned of dirt and grime: it now looked a faint grayish white, rather then the gray it was when he first found her.  The ragged robe he found her in was replaced by a pale blue hospital gown.  Her pale blue eyes had a renewed strength in them, but those same eyes widened in slight fear when she spotted him.  He quickly realized that she didn’t recognize him in his armor and was feeling a bit intimidated by his presence.  “It is alright.” He told her, taking his helmet off.  “It is me.” 

Her eyes narrowed as she studied him a moment, then the light of recognition came to her.  “Azu?”  She asked, to which he nodded.  “I…heard the nurses saying something about how it was the Arbiter that saved me…I was not sure if I believed them or not.” 

“Well…’Azu’ is the name I go by when I do not wish to be known as the Arbiter, so if you do not mind I would rather you do not spread it around.” He said quietly with a faint smile as he put his helmet back on.  Grabbing a chair, he moved to the side of the bed and sat down.  “How are you feeling?” 

“Better…thanks to you.”  Sari said softly.  “I would be dead if you had not carried me here.”  After a brief pause she asked.  “Why did you help me?  Anyone else of your status would have just left me to rot.” 

“I am not ‘anyone else’.”  He said a bit bitterly.  “We should not look down upon those that cannot help the situation they are in.”  After a moments pause he added.  “Why were you on the streets?” 

“Is it not obvious?”  She said, lifting one pale arm as way of example. 

“Just because your skin tone is different from anyone else is not a reason.” He said bluntly. 

“Well tell that to my father.”  Sari said bitterly, showing a spark of life in her he did not see before.  “He disowned me because I am a freak.” 

He felt his blood starting to boil again.  “Your father is an honor less cur then.”  He growled.  “What is his name…so that I may beat some sense into him!” 

“Good luck trying to find him.”  Sari said coldly.  “He fled with a bunch of his cronies from the planet just after he disowned me.  He is wanted for something but I do not know what.  I know he disowned me not only because I was not worthy of his time but because he could not stand for a freak to be the sole holder of his line.  Kesi ‘Musav is his name.” 

The Arbiter jerked back into his chair in shock, his eyes so wide they almost fell out.  Sari is that traitor’s daughter!?  Subconsciously, he reached up and felt his neck, where the scar from the bullet that nearly killed him would remain for the rest of his life: it was only by the grace of Azuwezia that he still lived.  He remembered the energy sword duel he had with him on Cairo Station and the permanently disfiguring injury he managed to land on him before the coward fled.  If he hadn’t failed to catch, even kill him, Sari would still have her name, her honor. 

“Arbiter?  Are you alright?”  Sari’s voice broke his line of thought. 

He looked at her, his guilt nearly consuming him.  Nearly in tears, he grabbed one of her hands with both of his.  “Sari…please forgive me.  If I had been strong enough you would not be in this situation.” 

“Wha…what are you talking about?”  Sari asked, looking quite confused.  “You had nothing to do with what my father did to me.” 

“But I do…” He insisted.  “He nearly killed me, twice, and attempted to ignite another war with the humans.  I tried to stop him, took his eye in the attempt, but ultimately failed and he escaped.  It was I who then declared him a traitor to our people and a threat to the human/Sangheili alliance.  But…there was delay in the order, due to the Council not liking me taking matters into my own hands.  That delay enabled him to return home long enough to do this to you…if I had not acted so impulsively he would not have had the chance to.” 

“So…that is why he appeared the way he did that day…”  She said softly after she took a moment to process what he had told her.  “You still cannot blame yourself for this though…” 

“But…” 

“No Arbiter.”  Sari said. “If anyone is to blame it is those big headed Councilors.” She lowered her head and added. “Besides… I am glad to be rid of his name.” 

“What?” 

Her voice was quivered a bit as she responded.  “You do not know of the beatings he gave me and my mother whenever he came home.  Both of us were frightened into silence, too afraid to tell anyone for fear of our lives.  The only reason he kept me around as long as he did was to use me against my mother, but once he would have gotten a son my life would have been forfeit for certain.  So no…I am not ashamed of losing my name…I am ashamed for not being brave enough to stand up to him.  I would have preferred death for standing up to him than this….” 

The Arbiter stared at her, mouth agape and it took him a moment to snap it shut: he knew Kesi had been a dishonorable bastard before, but this!?  It took longer for him to figure out what to say.  While he was relieved that he wasn’t entirely to blame for her situation, he still felt responsible.  “You still deserve better then this.” He said finally, squeezing her hand.  “And I intend to do something about it.” 

It was her turn to be surprised.  “Why go through the trouble this will likely bring you?”  She asked. 

“Because I know what it is like to have everything taken away from you due to things you cannot control.”  He said with sad smile. 

She stared at him a moment, looking a bit perplexed.  Her eyes lit up when she realized what he was referring to.  “Oh!  You were Supreme Commander…” 

The Arbiter quickly hushed her with a finger to the tips of her mandibles.  “That is no longer my name…” He told her, though there was no regret in his tone.  “It never will be again.” 

“Oh…I am sorry….” 

“It is alright.” He said. 

“Where did you get ‘Azu’ then?”  She asked. 

The Arbiter couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.  “That is a story onto itself, Sari.” He told her, he glanced up to see a nurse come in with a tray of various medical supplies.  “One I will have to tell you another time.”  He added regretfully. 

“I would rather you tell me stories then have them poking and prodding me.”  Sari grumbled, the nurse snorting in response. 

“Is that not the case for us all?”  He said with a smile as he rose from his seat.  “I will visit again soon.” 

“I appreciate it Arbiter….thank you.” 

\-- 

She watched him leave, wishing he would stay.  He was the first to show her kindness in years and it affected her in ways she couldn’t imagine.  Sari became only barely aware of the nurse that was checking her vitals and changing out the IVs, her mind too focused on the Arbiter: his voice, his honey colored eyes.  She caught herself wondering what he looked like under that armor and she blushed in embarrassment. 

“I know that look.” The nurse chided.  Sari looked up at her, seeing the look of distain on her face.  “You might as well not even bother with him…he is too high for someone as low as you.” 

“You do not know that…”  She growled at her. 

“I know better then _you_.”  The nurse hissed back.  “A little outcast like you has nothing to offer the likes of him.  He would choose a female of much better standing over you in a heart beat, so do not read so much into why he helped your sorry wretched ass.” 

Sari snapped at her, her mandibles narrowly closing upon the nurse’s hand.  How dare she!  How dare she make such an assumption about a wonderful man like that!  The nurse, in response, back handed her, hard enough to hurt.  “He will hear of this!” She cried, rubbing the spot she was hit, which was just behind her right mandibles. 

“Go ahead…it was self defense.  He will do nothing about it.” The nurse said as she left the room.  “Useless wench.” 

Sari panted with fury, hot tears streaming down her face. Her fury turned into despair shortly after.  _She is right…_ She thought bitterly, her earlier bravado and high spirits evaporating.  _Why would he want me when he has the pick of any female he wants?_   _How do I know he really meant it when he said he would visit again?_   She sighed and wept into her pillow.  _I am a fool to hope…to dream again…_


	6. Bad Nurse/Good Nurse

The Arbiter decided to visit her again first thing in the morning, after a bunch of politic related matters prevented him from visiting her again that same day.  He went as the Arbiter, figuring the hospital staff already knew it was he that forced them to take Sari in, so why hide it now?  Plus, he was eager to see her again no matter what he went as, as seeing her gave him a strange, but pleasant feeling. 

He didn’t bother with the nurse at the counter and instead went straight to her room.  _Perhaps I came too early…_ The Arbiter thought when he saw that she was still asleep.  As quietly as he could, he came in and sat down beside her bed, not wanting to disturb her but still wanting to be near her.  He watched her sleep, seeing how peaceful she looked.  However, he knew with sorrow her life had been anything but peaceful so far, with how hard and terrible a life she had been forced to live. 

Gently, he picked up one of her hands and looked at it, trying to imagine what it looked like, along with her whole person, when she was healthy.  _She was beautiful once…_ He thought.  _No…she still is…in her own way._   He stroked her hand lightly, admiring the delicate features of it despite its thin and boney state.  _You will be healthy again…and stay that way this time._  

She stirred and he immediately felt guilty for disturbing her.  When she opened her eyes and saw him, she seemed…surprised…to see him there.  “You…came back…” She said softly, pulling her hand away. 

“I said I would.” He told her, a little puzzled at her reaction.  “I am a man of honor and I keep my word.” 

Sari simply blinked and hung her head.  Something was wrong: she didn’t have the…spunk she had yesterday.  “What is wrong?”  He asked her. 

“Nothing…”  She said quietly, turning her head away from him.  It was then he saw the bruise on her face, just behind her mandibles: he hadn’t seen it before due to the lighting. 

“Sari…what happened to you?” The Arbiter demanded, rising to his feet.  He gently touched her face where the bruise was.  “How did you get this?” 

“It is nothing…” She said defensively, pushing his hand away.  “You should not concern yourself with the likes of me….” 

The Arbiter was confused and a bit upset.  Yesterday, she was grateful for his help and his presence; today she seemed to want nothing to do with him.  What had happened to break her spirit so? 

“Arbiter…it is too early for visitors.”  A nurse said from the doorway: he noticed it was the one that came in just before he left yesterday.  “And I see you have brought yourself back down to where you belonged.”  She said to Sari, whom cringed at her words. 

The Arbiter’s blood started to boil, starting to piece things together.  “What did you do to her?”  He demanded. 

The nurse barely regarded him, which angered him even more.  “Just put her in her place that is all.”  She said calmly.  “Someone of your stature should not be concerning themselves with the lesser anyway.” 

“By striking her!?”  He growled, approaching her. 

“She tried to bite me, the little cur.”  The nurse responded defiantly, not intimidated by him. 

“She does not strike me as the type to do so without provocation!” He hissed, getting in the nurse’s face. 

“So?  It was still self defense.” 

Losing his temper, the Arbiter lunged, grabbing her by the throat and pinning her against the wall.  “You do not strike those under your care!”  He snarled.  “And if I ever hear of you…or anyone else in this facility doing so again I will make certain you never work here again!  Do you understand?” 

The nurse, her face drained of color out of fear, nodded quickly.  When he released her, she bolted back out of the room as quick as her feet could carry her.  After taking a couple of deep breaths to calm himself, he turned back to Sari.  When he saw the look on her face he realized he had just made a big mistake. 

She looked terrified of him, his actions likely bringing up bad memories of her father.  “Sari…I…”  He started, but was unsure what to say to fix the situation. 

“St…stay back….”  Sari said, her body trembling. 

The Arbiter kept his distance, but refused to leave: he didn’t want to leave with her still afraid of him.  “I am sorry.” He said, hanging his head.  “I let my temper get the better of me…and forgot what you had been through.  I did not mean for my actions to cause you to remember the pain that you have been through.” 

“I…I know…”  She said quietly, still trembling.  “You were trying to protect me…but…what you did…the memories…” 

He took the risk and approached her, slowly so as not to startle her.  “They are just that…memories.” He told her.  “They cannot hurt you…and _he_ cannot hurt you anymore.” 

“I so much want to believe you…”  She whimpered.  “But he is still out there…somewhere…” 

With a sigh he reached down and embraced her, pulling her close.  She stiffened at first but quickly relaxed in his arms.  “He will be punished…” He reassured her.  “For all his crimes.  It is only a matter of time before he is brought in to answer for them, or killed in the attempt.” 

“Stay with me….please…”  She pleaded. 

“I will for as long as I can…” He promised.  “And I will visit you as often as permitted.” 

“Thank you….” 

The Arbiter sighed and rested his head on her shoulder.  A part of him wondered why he was doing this.  Another part wondered if he would have done this if he never became the Arbiter.  _No…probably not…_   He thought, remembering the man he used to be, a man that had only cared for the destruction of mankind and the Prophet’s will.  _So much about me has changed in such a short time._   Yet he did not regret those changes, in fact he welcomed it.  He was sure people like Sari did as well.  _But how many more like Sari are out there?  Being ignored and denied the help that they need?  Like the ones I passed by myself before I found Sari…_  

He felt like a hypocrite now, considering what he had told her and that he did not do the same for the others. Until now, he was just like everyone else when it came to those that needed help and that thought sickened him.  _People like Sari need…deserve another chance._ He thought.  _But society as a whole need to have their eyes opened:  I cannot help them all myself…._  

\-- 

Sari couldn’t believe he was holding her like this so willingly and without hesitation, not caring at all what others thought of him doing this. He reminded her of her mother right now, selfless and caring for her.  “Mother…” She muttered, feeling a fresh wave of tears coming. 

The Arbiter shifted his head, which he had rested on her shoulder, in response to her muttering. “Hmm?”  She heard him say, though she was not sure if it was because he hadn’t heard her clearly or something else. 

“My…mother used to hold me like this…”  She explained softly.  “Whenever I was frightened and scared…and after a round of beatings from Father…” 

She felt the deep rumble in his neck and chest as he growled, obviously angry at what her father did to her.  “She was the brave one between us…”  She continued, sorrow in her voice.  “Often she would stand up to him, trying to protect me.  She got the worse beatings because of it….but even afterward, she was always more concerned about me then herself.  I…I wish I could have been brave like her…” 

“What…happened to her?”  He asked, sounding unsure if he should ask it. 

“I…do not know.”  Sari admitted.  “I tried to find her after father left for the last time, but I could not.  I fear he killed her…” 

The Arbiter was silent for a moment.  “Take heart Sari.” He said softly, reassuringly.  “If that is so then she is in a better place now, where he cannot hurt her again and that her spirit may be at peace knowing that you are in good hands now.” 

“Arbiter…I…” 

“Shh…”  He pulled away just enough so he could look her in the eyes.  “When there is no one else around, you may call me Azu.” 

“Y…you sure?” He nodded.  “Why? I thought you only used that name when you did not want to be known as the Arbiter.” 

The Arbiter chuckled, a deep comforting sound.  “Those that are good friends and are those that I trust refer to me by that name when we are not around people that do not know.” He explained. 

“You…trust me then?  A poor wretch like me?” 

“I do.”  He replied.  “A friend once told me that what matters is not how you look, live, or even what status you hold in society, but instead it is the quality of one’s heart.  You have a good heart Sari, I can see it despite it being so buried beneath your grief and pain.  I want to help you unbury it.” 

“You…”  Sari felt herself flush a little.  “Have a wise friend…” 

“That I do….” The Arbiter said with a smile. 

“Excuse me, your Excellence.”  A voice said from the doorway: it was a nurse, but thankfully not the same one as before.  “If you do not mind, I would like to check her progress and give her the morning meal.” 

“I get to eat solid food?”  Sari asked, her mood immediately brightening.  It had been a while since she ate solid food, even longer since she had it _fresh_ and not dung out of a waste pile _._

“You seem strong enough now to handle it, though take it slow.”  The nurse replied.  “We do not know how your body will react to it.” 

Sari let her check her vitals in stride, eager to get her mandibles around that food.  The Arbiter stayed close by, watching the nurse intently.  It made the nurse a little nervous. 

“Must you watch me like that, Excellency?”  She finally asked. 

“Another nurse got abusive toward her.”  The Arbiter replied with a faint growl.  “I am making certain it does not happen again.” 

“Well…that explains why I saw her trying to convince the supervisor that you needed to be thrown out.  Not going to happen, not with her record.”  She replied, understanding.  “Nurse Gala has always been one of the less…sympathetic…ones.  She has been warned about her attitude multiple times and once the boss hears the full story of this event, I doubt she will still have her job by the end of the shift.  Quite frankly, I can not see how she even got into this profession….” 

“Nor can I.”  The Arbiter agreed with another faint growl. 

“Well, dear, you are lucky.”  The nurse said, turning her attention back to Sari.  “It seems you had a weak strain, for the infection is clearing up quickly.  A couple more days and we should be able to take you off the medication.  The malnourishment you are suffering from will take longer to recover from, however.” 

“I understand.” Sari said as the nurse put a plate of food in front of her.  She looked at it in disappointment at how little of it there was.  “This is it?” 

“Unfortunately.”  The nurse said regretfully.  “It is never wise to allow a famished person gorge themselves as that just results in the body rejecting the food.  Small, multiple portions will help prevent that.” 

 _Better then nothing I guess._   She thought as she started to eat.  Though she tried to take it slow the meager potions disappeared quickly down her throat.  With a grunt of disappointment, she looked up at the nurse, begging for more. 

“In a couple of hours dear.”  The nurse laughed. 

“How long will she be staying here?”  The Arbiter asked. 

“Depending on whether or not she has any relapses or other complications, less then a week at best.  Getting her back up to a proper weight can be done at home.” 

“What home….”  Sari said, her mood becoming depressed again. 

“Well, there are homeless shelters…”  The nurse offered. 

“They would not take me…I tried…”  Sari said bitterly.  “Especially after they learned who I was…” 

She heard the Arbiter growl and saw him clench the edges of the chair, his claws digging into the material.  “They punish you for what your father has done?” He growled.  “That….that….” 

“Is despicable….”  The nurse finished for him, frowning.  “What is wrong with our society if we punish the child for the sins of the parent?” 

“What is wrong indeed….” 

Sari looked at the Arbiter, surprised at the sudden somber tone in his voice.  She saw pain and sorrow in his eyes, as if a painful memory of his own was brought to the surface.  Whatever it was, it took him a while to compose himself: she swore that he looked like he was on the verge of tears.  _Do we have more in common then I thought?_   She wondered.  _What happened in his own life that was so painful?_   The Mark of Shame he received and the subsequent stripping of his rank and name she knew about, but this seemed to be something else, something even more painful that still haunted him to this day.


	7. Suspicions

The _Shadow of Intent_ was now docked at the station orbiting Sangheilios for resupply and maintenance:  everyone was eager to get some shore leave.  Rtas however, as he always did, opted to stay on board.  As Shipmaster he had that right of course, but he knew eventually someone would think it odd:  even Shipmasters felt the need to go to the surface every once in a while.  In truth, he did make trips to the surface every once in a while, but only to get items the ship is not normally supplied with that he needed.  One such trip he knew he needed to make soon, but he was going to put it off as long as possible. 

In the meantime, he relaxed in his quarters, reclining on his bed with only a bathrobe on and reading the contents of a data module. He had barely started reading the data module when someone came to his door. 

“Who is it?”  He replied through the door’s comm unit. 

 _Major ‘Vatem Shipmaster_.  Came the response. _Permission to enter?_  

“Granted.”  Rtas replied, wondering why ‘Vatem wasn’t with Runi and Sani as he ensured his bathrobe was on straight. When the Major entered he noted that ‘Vatem was indeed planning on doing so as he was in civilian attire.  “What is it ‘Vatem?” He asked him.  “You should be with the others heading to the surface.” 

“Which I will be after this Shipmaster.”  ‘Vatum replied respectfully.  “I just thought you would like to know that the maintenance and resupply activities are going smoothly so far.” 

“Which I noted myself.”  Rtas said, folding his arms across his chest and giving ‘Vatem a suspicious look.  “You are here for something else, so out with it!” 

The Major looked hesitant, going by how he rubbed the back of his neck.  “Permission to speak freely, Shipmaster?”  Rtas nodded in acceptance.  “The crew is getting concerned about you, Shipmaster.” He started.  “You never join us on our shore leave.” 

“How I spend my free time is none of your concern.”  Rtas said bluntly. 

“But maybe it should be.”  ‘Vatem countered.  “You only spend time on the ship.  Some of us are starting to wonder if you are trying to hide from something.” 

Rtas blinked at him in shock; then felt his temper flare.  “You think I am a coward?” He growled. 

“No sir!”  ‘Vatem said, backing up a step.  “It is likely only a conspiracy theory anyway….you know how Minors can be!” 

“Yes…I do….”  Rtas grumbled bitterly.  “And as I said before:  how I spend my free time is _my_ business.  If there is nothing else you wish to say….” 

“No sir…I shall take my leave…”  ‘Vatem quickly made his exit and Rtas sank onto his bed with a heavy sigh. 

 _But I am a coward…_ He thought.  _And no matter how much I want to, I cannot bring myself to face it…_  

\--

The Arbiter continued to visit her every day, for as long as he was able.  Each day he could see her physically get stronger, her small frame starting to fill out and not look so boney and a luster started to appear on her skin.  Mentally though, he realized she will take a lot longer to heal. 

Her moods varied widely from one day to the next.  Some days she was perky and upbeat.  Other days she was down and depressed: and some days it was a mix of both.  When she was upbeat, she was talkative, wanting to hear stories.  When she was in her depressed state, however, she simply wanted to be held and comforted, sometimes crying for hours in his arms.  It just made him despise Kesi even more for the amount of trauma he had caused her.  

What kept bothering him, though, was just how small she was.  Females were usually smaller then the males of his species, but she was really small, smaller then the Master Chief.  He didn’t know if her size was a side effect of her leusisticism or something else. It could be that she wasn’t yet mature, which Vl’asuna suggested when he expressed his concerns with her, but a part of him didn’t believe that: it was more than likely that her size was natural for her.  Either way, he felt the need to be that much more protective of her because of it. 

Finally, the day came when she was going to be released from the hospital. 

“You seem nervous.” He said to her when he entered her room.  Sari was out of bed, her hands on the mattress, her expression one of uncertainty. 

“Because I do not know what will become of me now.”  She admitted, looking up at him.  “I have no where to go.” 

“That is not true.”  The Arbiter told her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

“It is not?” She looked hopeful.  “Did you convince a shelter to let me in?” 

“Something like that….”  He said cryptically.  “Here.”  He handed her a small bag.  She accepted it, a puzzled look on her face.  Then she pulled out the contents to reveal a small robe, light green in color.  “I hope it fits.  I had a hard time finding one that you would not _drown_ in….” 

Sari looked numb with shock, clutching the robe tightly to her chest.  “You…you have done so much for me already…Azu…I…I am almost afraid to ask what else you have in store….”  She said finally. 

The Arbiter just chuckled, a smile on his face.  “You will just have to wait and see Sari.” He told her.  “Now, go on, put it on.” 

He watched as Sari rushed to the restroom to change.  After a moment, she returned and he had to force himself to breathe.  “She was right, that color does bring out the color in your eyes.” He said without thinking. 

Sari’s face turned purple as she blushed.  “Who is…’she’?” She asked hesitantly. 

“A good friend of mine.”  He replied.  “You will be meeting her soon.” 

“I will?” 

“You will see.  Come.” He beckoned for her to follow. 

\-- 

Sari hesitated briefly before following the Arbiter, wondering what he was up to.  There was no question about his good character in her mind though, considering his actions with her and from what he told her of his deeds since their people separated from the Covenant.  His deeds before that though he was rather hesitant to talk about however, like he was ashamed about who he once was under the Covenant. 

 _Not every warrior would have been though_.  She thought.  _Father being one of them…_  

The thought of her father caused her to freeze in place for a moment and look around nervously. For a brief moment of time, every shadow and every room felt as if her father would jump out of them at any moment to terrorize her once again.  _Get a hold of yourself…_   She thought.  _Father cannot get even close to Sangheilios now._ Still, she felt she would feel safer if she knew _exactly_ where her father was. 

“Sari?  Are you alright?”  The Arbiter asked when he noticed she had stopped, a look of concern on his face. 

“I…I am fine.”  She replied as she pushed the thoughts of her father out of her mind.  “I am…just uncertain on what to do now….”

 “We will figure that out later.” He told her, putting an arm around her shoulders as he gently coaxed her to continue on.  “One thing at a time.” 

When they reached the receptionist desk the Arbiter took care of the needed procedures to check her out.  While he did so Sari let her mind drift, wondering what was to become of her.  The Arbiter had kept telling her not to worry about it and that he would take care of things, but what did he mean by that?  Did he use his great standing to force a shelter to take her in or perhaps called in a favor with a friend of his to provide her a place to stay?  There were many possibilities, some quite bad but she quickly rejected those, as the Arbiter had yet to do anything to suggest he would intentionally harm her. 

“Sari?”  The Arbiter’s voice snapped her out of her line of thought.  “She wants your full name.” 

“But…I do not have one anymore….”  Sari protested.  “I was disowned…” 

“It is simply for reference dear.” The receptionist said.  “Disowned or not, it is important to keep track of family lines.” 

She looked at the Arbiter, whose expression mirrored her own worry about this but obviously he could not do anything to prevent it.  “Sari ‘Sasav…”  She said finally. 

The receptionist started to punch that in, only to suddenly freeze when it dawned on her.  “Kesi ‘Musav’s daughter?”  She asked, a bit of venom in her voice.  Sari reflexively moved behind the Arbiter, wrapping her arms around him in fear of a backlash. 

“She is not her father.”  The Arbiter said warningly.  “In fact she is a victim of his as well:  do not judge her simply due to her blood.” 

“Of…course Arbiter…”  The receptionist said nervously, not wishing to evoke his wrath.  “That is all I need.  She is free to go.” 

“Thank you.”  After a brief pause he said.  “Sari, you can let go now.” 

She quickly did so, embarrassed at herself for grabbing a hold of him like that.  “I…I am sorry….”  She said. 

“It is alright.” He told her with a gentle smile.  “Come.” 

She followed him out of the building, where the three suns of their planet’s system nearly blinded her at first after having been inside for so long.  Once her eyes adjusted she was able to continue to follow him, all the way to the hospital parking lot where his personal vehicle was.  When they reached it he gestured for her to get in, which she did, if not a bit awkwardly since it had been ages since she rode in a vehicle.  Once she was inside he got in himself, took off his helmet and started the engine. 

“Why take off the helmet?”  She asked curiously as they pulled out of the parking lot. 

“Too keep other drivers from gawking at me when I am in traffic: I would rather not be the cause of an accident.”  He replied.  “Plus the motion tracking system is…distracting…when in traffic.” 

“I can understand that….”  Sari said picking up the helmet and studying it.  She was tempted to try it on but thought better of it, fearing it would be considered blasphemous and insulting to him.  “I am surprised you do not have someone driving you around instead.” 

“Unless it is a combat situation where it is best to have as many eyes available as possible to look out for danger, I do not like having to depend on someone else to get around.” He explained. 

“You like your independence then.” She said.  

The Arbiter glanced at her with a smile; then focused his attention back on the road.  “That I do.” He admitted, still smiling. 

“I know those Councilors probably get driven around every where.” She said as she watched the buildings pass by.  “Makes me wonder how they avoid getting fat and…unsightly.” 

He let out a booming laugh, startling her slightly at how loud it was.  “That would be a sight to see.” The Arbiter said.  “But, unfortunately, they keep in shape by practicing the arts of combat even in their…advanced age.  It is the only reason we still have any Councilors left after the Prophets betrayed us and the Brutes attempted to exterminate us.” 

“I see…do you think we would have been better off if they were all killed?”  She asked. 

The Arbiter was quiet a moment.  “There are days where I wish they were.”  He admitted, slightly bitter.  “However, we probably would still be in utter chaos if none had survived.” 

“I suppose so…”  Sari remained quiet for a few moments, watching the city go by.  Then she realized she didn’t recognize the part of the city they had entered.  “Where are we going?”  She asked, slightly nervous. 

The Arbiter smiled and simply said.  “You will see.” 

\-- 

Rtas looked at the contents of the jar in his hand.  _Damn…I thought I had more then this._   He thought with a frown as he scooped out the last of its contents and did his best to split it evenly between his hooves.  A part of him wondered if someone had been sneaking into his quarters to ‘borrow’ his hoof conditioner, but that was rather unlikely.  _Looks like I will be making a trip to Heko’s tomorrow._ He thought with a sigh.  _I hope Heko is still working the counter…_  

It wasn’t that he didn’t like the other employees, but rather he didn’t feel comfortable around them.  One of them, Ella he believed her name was, always had this dreamy look in her eye when she looked at him and he knew it would only be a matter of time before she tried to talk to him.  Fortunately, so far she was always busy with a client when he came in, but he knew his luck would run out some enough. 

 _Maybe I should just buy a whole crate worth…_ He pondered.  _No…that would draw too much attention._   It was bad enough members of his crew were starting to suspect something was amiss and to do something like that would only raise their suspicions even more.  _I really should get treatment…_  

Rtas shuddered at the thought however, as getting treatment for his problem had a stigma attached to it.  He would become the subject of much ridicule and distain, which would be too much for him to bear.  _No…I must deal with it alone…no one else must know._ Rtas thought with a sigh.  _It is a burden I must bare alone…_.


	8. Homecoming

The drive lasted only a few more minutes and ended when he stopped in the garage of a rather elegant looking house.  It took a moment for Sari to get her wits about her and exit the vehicle to follow him in.  “Who lives here?”  She asked as she followed him into a rather large living room. 

“I do.” He replied, causing her to stop in her tracks. She was even more surprised when he added.  “And now so do you.” 

She blinked at him, overwhelmed at the news.  “You…are letting me…stay here?”  She asked, trembling slightly from shock. 

“Yes.” 

“But…I….I…could not possibly!” 

“Why not?”  He quirked his head to one side, looking almost _innocent_. 

“It is just…inappropriate!” She attempted. 

He simply shrugged as he said.  “I do not care what others would think of this.” 

“But why go this far…for someone like me?” 

The Arbiter seemed to be at a bit of a loss for an answer at first.  “Because you would be safest here, at least until you are back on your feet.” 

“I do not understand…” 

“I did some checking.” He explained as he started to remove his armor.  “While most of the shelters did indeed reject you out of mistaken malice, a few did as well only out of fear for your safety.” 

“What?” 

“The public as a whole despises your father.”  He said bluntly.  “And though you do not deserve it, you carry some of his tainted image.  Those few shelters that actually cared about your well being turned you away because they feared what the other inhabitants would do to you if they discovered your relation to Kesi.  So with that in mind, I took it upon myself to shelter you.” 

“I…I do not know what to say….” 

“You do not need to say anything.”  The Arbiter, with nothing but his battlesuit on now, reaching down and stroking her face: she couldn’t help but blush faintly from how finely built he looked.  “You have much to recover from, mentally and physically.  While you do, you are safe here and ‘Mura and I will help you however we can.” 

“’Mura?”  She raised a brow in question. 

“Vl’asuna ‘Mura.  She is the other resident in this house.”  He explained as he straightened up. 

“That is…an unusual Sangheili name…”  Sari commented. 

“That is because she is not Sangheili, but a Lipor.” He said with a smile.  “In fact, I wonder what is taking so long for her to….” 

His comment was cut short when a dark, furry creature suddenly jumped onto his back.  Sari jumped back in shock, uncertain on how to react.  The Arbiter didn’t seem alarmed by the ‘attack’, just a bit annoyed. 

“’Mura!” He bellowed as he struggled to keep his balance with the large creature on his shoulders.  “Must you always wait until _after_ I take my armor off?”  

“But then it would be no fun.”  The Lipor said, the corners of her mouth upturned in what had to be a grin. 

“At least mind the _claws!_ ” The Arbiter griped.  “This suit is not cheap to get repaired!” 

“Spoil sport.”  The Lipor jumped down then looked in her direction, two large ears flipping forward as she regarded her:  Sari couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated by her.  “Who is this?”  She asked. 

“This is Sari.  She was the one I was telling you about.”  The Arbiter replied.  “Sari, this is Vl’asuna ‘Mura, my friend and companion for the last couple of years.” 

“A…a pleasure…”  Sari said meekly, still trying to wrap her head around the idea of a creature that looked like it, which should be nothing more then an _animal_ , being sentient. 

“I see I was right about the robe color.”  Vl’asuna said, looking up at the Arbiter with a slight teasing look. 

“Yes ‘Mura, your good eye has won again.”  The Arbiter replied.  “Which keeps surprising me no matter how often you do it.” 

“Come dear.”  Vl’asuna said, flicking her tail in what seemed to be a gesture to her to follow.  “I’ll give you a tour of the place while Azu gets comfortable.” 

Sari looked up at the Arbiter, whom nodded for her to go ahead.  With a quiet sigh she followed what she felt was the strangest looking roommate she had ever met. 

\-- 

While Vl’asuna showed Sari around, the Arbiter slipped into his room to remove the battlesuit.  Once alone, he touched a sensor on his chest and immediately the skin tight mesh relaxed, giving him a much more baggy appearance.  Then he touched another sensor on the top part of the neck line, which triggered the suit to split in the front down the middle allowing him to slip out of it easily.  Once done, he glanced down at his hooves and noticed they were starting to get a bit long. 

 _Ella is going to kill me._ He thought with a chuckle. That female scolded him on his lack of hoof maintenance every time he came in for it.  ‘ _You would make things easier on me and yourself if you learned how to file them yourself Azu!’_   She told him all the time.  Ella knew he was the Arbiter, one of the very few civilians that did, but he got the feeling that only fueled her adamant scolding of him.  _I need to make an appointment._ He thought as he put on a simple robe. 

As he typed in the appropriate commands on the console, a thought occurred to him.  _Sari could use some pampering._   He thought: while he didn’t really look at the pale female’s hooves, he knew that spending that much time living on the streets must have been murder on them.  _But…have I not done too much for her already?_  

Taking her to the hospital was an act of kindness, paying for her stay there was charity, but inviting her to stay with him in his home was something else entirely.   _Why am I doing this?_ He asked himself.  It was becoming clearer to him that what he was doing wasn’t just an act of charity, but something more.  _What is it about her that drives me to do this?_   _Is it because of who her father is?  No…I would have done the same if Kesi was not her father._  

 _“I feel something is missing, something very important, but I do not know what.”_ He remembered telling Vl’asuna barely a week ago, the day he met Sari.  _Is Sari what I was missing?_  

 _-Heko’s Parlor, this is Ella. How may I help you?-_   A familiar voice said though the console, startling him out of his musings. 

“Ella, I see your father has you answering the comm again, is he well?” He asked once he gave himself a moment to gather his wits. 

 _-Oh hello Azu!-_   Ella’s voice replied.  - _Father’s health has been touch and go as of late, so yes.  Let me guess…you let your hooves go again…-_   There was a slight scolding tone in her voice. 

The Arbiter chuckled.  “Yes, I am afraid so Ella, you are going to have to smack me over the head with the file again.” 

 _-Bah…what am I going to do with you Azu? I have an opening tomorrow at your usual time.-_  

“Do you have two openings?” He asked.  “I will be bringing another customer with me.” 

There was a brief pause before she answered.  - _Actually yes.  Rena has an opening at the same time.  What is this mystery customer’s name?  It better not be Rtas…I would kill you if you did that to me…-_  

He laughed again.  “I know how you feel about him Ella, so no, I would not do such a thing.  Her name is Sari.” 

The Arbiter could almost see the smile in her voice.  - _Oh really?  My dear Azu, did you finally find a girl?-_  

“Well…I….um….”  Beside himself he blushed, unsure how to answer such a question. 

 _-Do not worry, I can take a hint.  I will see you two tomorrow.-_   The link went dead and the Arbiter sat down heavily on his bed. 

 _That is why…_   He thought when he realized Ella had given him the answer.  _But how do I deal with this?  Her mental state as it is would not likely handle any such advances.  By the gods, she is confused enough with what I have done for her already…_. 

The Arbiter realized he was going to have to take it very slow with her and be extremely patient.  The problem was, as he recognized just how deep his feelings were, he wasn’t sure if he could wait that long…. 

\-- 

“This place…is big…”  Sari commented as the Lipor showed her around.  “A training room…hot tub…largest kitchen I have ever seen…he has everything….” 

“He didn’t want this place, just so you know.” Vl’asuna said.  “But the Council insisted upon it, especially after he became the Sangheili Ambassador.” 

“He…did not want this place?”  She found it difficult to wrap her head around this.  “I….dreamed of living in such a place…why would he….” 

“His time as the Arbiter has humbled him greatly.”  The Lipor explained.  “His new faith has a role in that as well.  Because of those things he is not one that likes to flaunt his status if he can help it.” 

“New faith?  You mean he does not believe in the Forerunners anymore?” 

“No, not since the Prophets betrayed your people.”  Vl’asuna turned toward her and sat down.  “And learned of my gods and with them, my beliefs.” 

“Oh.  From what little he has told me about himself…it does seem he has changed a lot since he became the Arbiter.” 

“He is a much better man for it.”  Vl’asuna said.  “Here dear, this will be your room.”  The Lipor gestured with a paw toward an open door. 

Sari cautiously went in and was dumb struck by the room’s size.  “This room…it is as big as the living room in the house me and my mother used to live in….”  She said as she explored the room.  When she opened the closet she gasped.  “This…is bigger then my old room!” 

“Kesi is such a bastard to deny you what you deserved.”  The Lipor said with a growl.  Sari looked back at her, noting how her ears were now flat against her skull.  “He will get what is coming to him.” 

“Azu told you about what he did…to me?”  She asked quietly. 

“Only what you told him and what I can figure out on my own.”  Vl’asuna explained.  “Those that beat their own children senseless, especially if the only reason is that they feel they are not ‘perfect’ in their eyes, are the lowest scum in the galaxy in my eyes.  Children are precious and they should be treasured, not tossed and beaten like garbage.” 

“Is that why Azu is doing this for me?”  She asked, sitting down on the bed and savoring the softness of the sheets.  “To try to make up to me for what my father did?” 

The Lipor seemed hesitant and uncertain, though whether it was because she knew the answer or not was unclear.  “I am not entirely certain my dear.”  She admitted after a moment.  “I do believe there is something deeper going on with him in this regard, but what it is I cannot tell and I have a feeling he is not certain himself.  Perhaps in time that question can be answered.” 

“Vl’asuna….” 

“Please, you can call me ‘Mura.” 

Sari smiled slightly: she was starting to like this Lipor.  “How did you two meet ‘Mura?  You are obviously not a…sentient I have ever heard of or seen before.” 

“A series of unfortunate events…or fortunate…depending on your point of view.” Vl’asuna said with a faint sigh.  “Another native species on my homeworld decided to play a prank on me and as a result of that prank I found myself on one of your people’s Phantoms.  I ended up trapped on his ship and it was Azu that found me some time later, starving and confused.  He saved my life that day and by the tradition of my people he became my _Maiken_.  So I am bound to him for the rest of my life, to protect his as best I can.” 

“So you became a bodyguard of his.” 

“And more.”  Vl’asuna said.  “At the time of our meeting he was depressed and lost, uncertain as to what his purpose was.  I gave him a willing ear to talk to and words of wisdom, once I was able to speak your language that is.  Through me he was introduced to a new faith, one that he found to be much more reasonable then the one the Prophets preached.” 

“What faith is that?” 

“Oh it’s very simple.  ‘To live the best life you can, so long as you do not due harm to others without due cause.’.” 

“That is simple…I am surprised he is not out there preaching it….” 

“The means to follow that truth is different for everyone my dear.”  Vl’asuna said.  “And they must discover the path to that truth on their own: it is all a part of our life’s journey, its trial.” 

“I see you found your room.”  The Arbiter said, appearing in the doorway.  “What do you think of it?” 

“It is…nice…” Sari said quietly.  “Nicer then what I have ever had before….” 

“Good.” He said, a faint smile appearing on his face.  “Tomorrow we will be going to a parlor to see about your hooves.”  She looked down at them: they did look dreadful.  “Then we will see about getting some more clothes for you.” 

“I…you…you have done so much for me already…”  Sari said.  “Why must you continue to trouble yourself with me?” 

“It is no trouble, I assure you.”  The Arbiter said confidently. 

“It is just….so much…at once….” 

“I know…”  He admitted as he approached her and gently put both hands on her shoulders.  “But you should have had all this a long time ago. It was wrong of your father to take it all away from you.” 

Sari looked at him in the eyes, seeing a father figure in him she wished she had, perhaps even more then that.  _He is giving me a chance to start a new life…_ She thought.  _But I do not know what to do._   The pale skinned female found herself studying his figure instead of pondering her life choices, seeing the finely toned muscles underneath his brown skin despite the robe he was wearing, a sign of the strength he held in his frame.  Yet he was as gentle to her as a mother holding a newborn, a testament to his training, discipline and kind disposition. 

Here and there she could see scars on his muscled body, those that his robe did not conceal completely at least.  A sign of the numerous battles he had survived and, she realized when she spied a part of the Mark of Shame upon his chest that wasn’t covered by the robe, the betrayal he had suffered.  The most shocking ones she saw though was on his neck, a pair of circular scars, one on each side.  Without thinking she reached up and touched one of them.  The Arbiter jerked back in response. 

“I…I am sorry…”  She stuttered, ashamed of herself. 

“It is alright…” The Arbiter said, rubbing his neck.  “You just surprised me is all.” 

“Those scars….” She said once she had calmed down.  “They…look like they should have been fatal.” 

“Nearly was.”  He replied, sitting down on the bed beside her.  “Sniper round, courtesy of one of Kesi’s minions.  Only the grace of Azuwezia kept me from joining my ancestors, though I had to stay in the hospital for many days due to the blood loss I suffered from it.” 

“Azuwho?” 

“Azuwezia, Goddess of life.”  Vl’asuna replied.  “She is one of the gods of my people and others on my homeworld.” 

“I….see….”  Sari said, uncertain what to think about this.  It seemed the Arbiter had abandoned completely the old beliefs.  “I am surprised you…have not gotten any flack for following another specie’s gods…” 

“Well, I keep it to myself.”  The Arbiter said.  “You are the first to find out about it, besides ‘Mura of course.” 

“With good reason I imagine….but why turn your back on the beliefs of our people?” 

“Because much of it was based on the lies of the Prophets.” The Arbiter explained.  “Any deities we had before the formation of the Covenant have been lost and forgotten.  When I was near death due to the assassination attempt, Azuwezia herself visited me. It was after that incident that I seriously started thinking about what I believed in; especially when Vl’asuna explained her beliefs to me.  After careful consideration I adopted them as my own.” 

Sari wasn’t sure if she could believe him there.  She had given up on believing in any sort of deity a long time ago. After all, if there were really gods they had to be sadistic bastards considering what she had gone though.  “I will have to take your word for it…”  She said finally. 

“Fair enough.  Do you need anything?” 

“I…am a bit hungry….” 

The Arbiter blinked and scratched his head in apparent embarrassment as he said.  “I…hope you do not mind military food rations…” 

“Huh?”  Sari looked at him confused. 

“He can’t cook to save his life.”  Vl’asuna explained with a chuckle.  “And he refuses to hire someone that can.  So all he has in the cupboards are food ration packets.  A typical lazy bachelor.” 

“I resent that remark.”  The Arbiter said with faint sneer, though Sari noticed his face was slightly darker. 

“Don’t you mean ‘resemble’?”  Vl’asuna said with a grin and then bolted out of the room.  The Arbiter went after her, yelling something about making her the main course. Sari just watched, dumbfounded. 

Yes living here will certainly be rather interesting….


	9. Hoof Nazi

The following day the Arbiter took Sari to Heko’s Parlor.  Normally he would walk, but since he was taking Sari’s pale coloration into consideration he decided to drive them there.  The parlor was actually a two story house with the bottom floor converted into a shop: the second floor was where the owners, Heko ‘Dasal and his daughter Ella ‘Issal, lived.  

It was a small respectable shop, with only a couple other employees besides Ella and Heko.  Ella had stopped going to school to become a psychologist after her mother passed away, helping her father continue to run the business.  A strong woman who loved her work, the Arbiter was certain she would be able to continue running the business on her own once her father joined her mother in the afterlife.  Hopefully, though, that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. 

“Ah, if it is not Ella’s favorite customer.” Heko ‘Dasal said when he saw the Arbiter walk in, Sari in tow.  “She will be right with you: she is just finishing up with her latest client.  Ma’am?” He looked at Sari.  “Can I help you?” 

“She has an appointment with Rena.  Same tab.” The Arbiter replied. 

Heko nodded.  “They will both be with you shortly.” 

“How are you holding up Heko? I heard things have not been so well.” 

“Truth be told…” Heko said sadly as he leaned on the counter.  “I am living on borrowed time.  Hearts starting to give out.  Do not know how much longer I will still be kicking.” 

“You should retire and relax for the reminder of your days, however many there are.” 

“Bah! My work is my life.” Heko said with a dismissive wave of his hand.  “If I am to die while in the middle of tending to a client then so be it.  Besides…I would not be able to stay away from this place anyway, considering we live just upstairs.”  The elder Sangheili chuckled. 

“Fair enough I suppose.” 

“Good morning Azu.”  A slightly petite female said as she approached.  “And you must be Sari.”  The female looked at Sari, whom nodded.  “I am Rena, I will be taking care of you today.  What kind of service are you thinking of having done?” 

“I am a poor judge but I think she needs the works.”  The Arbiter told her. 

Rena knelt down and studied Sari’s hooves.  “Oh dear, I do believe you are right Azu.  Just what have you been doing to allow your hooves to get into such a condition?” 

“I…was homeless for the last couple years…”  Sari replied quietly, hanging her head. 

“Oh my, that certainly explains things. Well come on down, the sooner we start the sooner we get those hooves back into proper shape.” 

Sari hesitated a moment, but then followed the female to her station.  A moment later Ella approached, saying farewell to her last client.  Ella, unlike most females, was only just below his own height and had amber eyes full of fire.  “So…”  She said when she looked at him, folding her arms.  “Are we going to need the restraints today?” 

The Arbiter snorted.  “Depends on how you hold my feet.” He replied. 

“Well if you would do some of the work I would not have to grip them in such a manner.” She retorted as she beckoned for him to follow. 

With a sigh the Arbiter followed.  Once he was in the seat he put one foot on the short stool in front of it.  He watched as Ella brought out her ‘instruments of torture’ as she liked to call them and then picked up his foot to look it over.  The Arbiter flinched when she did so. 

“Starting to get difficult already I see.”  Ella teased as she grabbed a file and started working on one of the toes. 

“You know I can not help it!”  The Arbiter grumbled. 

\-- 

Meanwhile, Sari just sat quietly as Rena worked on her hooves, glancing over at the Arbiter whom kept flinching as Ella worked on his.  “Did not know he had such sensitive feet…”  Sari muttered as she watched. 

“Actually…he is ticklish.”  Rena said quietly with a grin.  “And Ella loves to ‘remind’ him of it.” 

“Really?” Sari found it hard to believe a great warrior such as the Arbiter was ticklish, but then again stranger things have surely happened. 

“So.”  Rena said.  “What happened to make you be without a home for so long if you do not mind me asking?” 

“I….was disowned…”  Sari said quietly, the memory of that day rising to the surface. 

“Oh…”  Rena fell quiet for a moment.  “Why?” 

“My skin…and because I am female…” 

“That is a shame.”  Rena said.  “Males can be too hung up on whether or not they have a son sometimes.  An attitude that needs to change in my opinion, perhaps one that will now that the war has been over for a while.” 

“Maybe….”  Sari said. 

Just then a rather distinctive looking male walked into the parlor. He wore combination of armors, all white in color, but the most distinctive feature was that he was missing his two left mandibles. 

“Oh go figure…”  Ella grumbled from her position as she continued to fight with the Arbiter’s feet.  “I work the counter all week but today and it is _today_ he comes in….” 

“He is psychic like that.”  The Arbiter said teasingly, only to yelp when Ella tickled his foot.  “You did that on purpose that time woman!” He growled. 

“Who is that?” Sari asked, curious. 

“Rtas ‘Vadum, Shipmaster of the Assault Carrier _Shadow of Intent_.”  Rena said.  “And the most desired male on the planet, at least in Ella’s mind.” 

“She has a crush on him?” 

“Big time.  Sad thing is, is that he spends all his time on the ship and rarely comes to the surface.  Makes trying to get a date with him a bit difficult.” 

“I apologize Shipmaster.”  Sari heard Heko say from the counter.  “We just ran out of that conditioner yesterday, but we will be getting a new shipment in tomorrow.  Did you want me to set one aside for you?” 

“Yes please.”  The Shipmaster replied.  Sari then noticed him look in the Arbiter’s direction and chuckle. 

“Not…one word…Rtas…”  The Arbiter said with a faint growl, flinching once more as Ella once again touched his foot the wrong way. 

“But I had not said a thing brother.” Rtas said, spreading his arms wide with a mock insulted look on his face. 

The Arbiter snorted, but then said.  “You really should not spend so much time on the _Shadow of Intent_.” 

“I have too much work to do.”  Rtas said with a shrug. 

“That is a bunch of Brute dung and you know it!”  The Arbiter huffed.  “You spend so much time up there I feel like you are hiding from society!” 

Sari was listening to the conversation with interest.  It was obvious the Arbiter and Rtas knew each other very well; perhaps, even, they served in the war together.  They had to be good friends considering how they spoke to each other regardless of their rank. 

“Well I am sorry you feel that way…Azu.” Rtas replied with another shrug, Sari catching the slight hesitation on using the Arbiter’s public name.  Apparently the Shipmaster was still too used to referring to him as the Arbiter. 

“At least come visit to chat and have a drink every once in awhile.” 

“I will see what I can do.”  Rtas said with a sigh as he paid a deposit on the conditioner he wanted.  “But no promises. See you around brother.” 

As Rtas walked out of the parlor the Arbiter muttered a few curses.  “Well, I did the best I could…now please!” He said to Ella. 

“Better then nothing I suppose.”  Ella said with a sigh, adjusting her grip on his foot. 

“Devil woman…you could have just walked up there and talked to him yourself!” 

“Yes but that would have been very rude to my current client.”  She said matter-of-factly. 

It took a moment for Sari to catch what was really going on and once she did she couldn’t help but giggle slightly.  Apparently, Ella was using the Arbiter’s ticklishness to get him to convince Rtas to come to the surface a bit more often. 

“Are you done yet?”  The Arbiter said. 

“I am…with _that_ foot.” Ella said slyly.  “Now give me the other one…” 

The Arbiter groaned and complied. 

\-- 

After they were both done, and Ella gave the Arbiter her usual lecture on hoof maintenance, the Arbiter took her to the market.  While they were clothes shopping he had Sari try to stay in the shade as much as possible.  However, after only a couple of hours it became evident that she was starting to get tired, so they went back home: they could always do more shopping another time.  Once there he had her eat something before she disappeared into her room to take a nap. 

“She gets tired too easily….”  He said with concern as he sat down on the couch. 

“Do keep in mind that she is still recovering physically from malnourishment.”  Vl’asuna reminded him.  “In time she will strengthen and her endurance increase.” 

“It is not just that.” The Arbiter said with a sigh.  “It is her skin.  Since she has no pigment at all in it, the suns rays are murder on her and saps what strength she has. I need to figure out a way to protect her skin when she is outside, with out it drawing too much attention.” 

“Hmm….I noticed a lot of humans have rather pale skin compared to Sangheili, perhaps they have something they use to protect themselves?” 

“Humans only have to deal with _one_ sun on their homeworld.”  He reminded her.  “Whatever protection they use will not likely work as well here.” 

“We do not know unless we try.”  Vl’asuna said.  “The market recently opened an import section did it not?  They may have human supplies there.” 

“I will take a look after the meeting tomorrow morning then.”  The Arbiter said.  “See what they have.” 

\-- 

“Move your asses!”  Kesi yelled at his troops as he shot and killed a Sangheili loyalist that had gotten around the deployable cover.  Around him some of his troops held off the loyalists, while others grabbed supply crates and chucked them into the supply ships Phantoms, which they were going to take with them when this was over.  “Replace that cover!”  He pointed out the deployable cover that had just failed due to the loyalists weapon fire. 

One of his troops quickly complied, throwing a fresh cover to seal the hole in the line. He hated having to use so many of those things, but it was the best way to do this raid with minimal causalities on his end.   This was especially so since the loyalists started adding more troops to the supply ships crew in the attempt to protect their cargo.  In space, the _Righteous Justice_ was taking care of the destroyer that was escorting the ship.  Kesi would rather capture the loyalist destroyer, but he did not yet have the manpower, let alone enough with the experience to do such a risky raid. 

“Sir!  The Phantoms are filled to capacity!”  A Major told him. 

“Retreat!” He commanded, reaching down and snatching a small crate.  “You know the drill!” 

Around him, his troops each tossed a plasma grenade over the portable barriers and then picked up any remaining crates they can individually carry before rushing for the boarding craft.  Once most of his men were board and the Phantoms departed, he got into one of the boarding craft and commanded the pilot to detach.  “Sir.” The same Major said as they started heading back to their own ship.  “We may have a problem.” 

“What is it?”  Kesi growled. 

“I think this raid went a bit _too_ well…”  The Major replied.  “We will not have enough room for all these transport ships: we have five too many.” 

“There is no such thing as ‘too well’.” He said.  “Have the transports loaded with troops land first and disembark.  Then have those ships undock to allow as many Phantoms to dock as possible.  Once those Phantoms are unloaded, have the pilots of five Phantoms in worse condition don vacuum suits and undock from the ship.  They are to abandon them in space.”  Kesi hated having to waste valuable Phantoms like that, but in the line of work he was in now the boarding craft were more valuable. 

“As you command Shipmaster.” 

As the Major set out to relay his command, Kesi got to thinking.  This particular problem will keep coming up since his troops had gotten proficient in this kind of raid.  As the boarding craft docked within the _Righteous Justice_ he got an idea.  They didn’t have the manpower to take over a destroyer, but certainly they had enough to take over a supply ship and a supply ship would certainly be useful for future raids. 

 _Next time there we will not be just taking a nibble._ He thought with a grin.  _But for a full bite._


	10. Plotting

When Sari woke up the next morning she found that the Arbiter wasn’t home and she felt terribly lonely.  It didn’t help that the house was so big compared to what she had lived in before, which only added to the emptiness she felt.  With little to do, she wandered to the kitchen to see about something to eat only to be quickly reminded about the Arbiter’s eating habits. 

 _When was the last time he had a home cooked meal?_ She wondered as she took a food ration packet from the cabinet.  _Probably just before he left his parents’ home for the last time._   The food rations didn’t taste _bad_ but they were rather bland and she was already getting sick of them.  _I wonder if he has forgotten what ‘real’ food tastes like._  

“Good morning dear.”  A voice behind her said. 

“Yipe!”  Sari yelped as she jumped in fright.  She turned around to see Vl’asuna behind her.  “Do not do that please…you nearly scared me to death!” 

“My apologies.”  Vl’asuna said.  “If it is any comfort, I do that to Azu all the time.”  The Lipor grinned mischievously. 

“You move around like a ghost, so I am not surprised.” Sari said with a sigh.  “Does he _ever_ have anything else to eat besides these things?” 

“The only time I have seen him eat anything else was when he was visiting a friend or when he was in the hospital on Cairo Station.”  Vl’asuna replied.  “Like I mentioned before, he refuses to hire someone to cook for him.” 

Sari stared at the packet in her hands, really not wanting to eat the bland contents despite how hungry she felt.  With a sigh she finally relented, opened the packet and started eating.  “Maybe I can do something about that.”  She muttered. 

“Convince him to hire a cook?”  Vl’asuna asked, one ear raised in interest. 

“No, cook for him.”  Sari said.  “It is one of the few skills I have, though since I have not cooked in two years I will be a bit rusty.  By the way…how does he keep the place so clean? No offense, but you must shed like crazy.” 

“I shed my coat completely only twice a year.”  Vl’asuna explained.  “As for the cleaning, he does have the sense to pick up after himself, but you will not see him with a mop or duster in his hands:  in that regard he is still too proud.  He has some Unggoy come through the place a couple times a week to do general cleaning.” 

“Unggoy? I thought we stopped using them for manual labor.” 

“For the most part yes, but there are some cases were they are still used.”  The Lipor explained.  “Since I do not exactly have hands, he has little other alterative besides doing it himself.” 

“Which he will not do.” Sari said with a sigh, then with a grin added.  “Like a typical lazy bachelor.” 

The Lipor snickered.  “Aye.” 

Sari thought a moment in consideration. The Arbiter had done so much for her that she wanted to do something to repay him.  “I will do that too then.” She said. 

“Cook _and_ clean?”  The Lipor raised both ears.  “My dear…I do not think that is a good idea.” 

“Why not?”  Sari asked. 

“It would not do for him to think you believe you are his personal servant…” 

“’Mura…I want to do _something_ to repay him and those are the only things I know how to do.” Sari countered. 

“He would be happy enough to see you healthy and back on your own two hooves.” 

“Perhaps…but I have no skills I can use outside of the work force.  Father…would not allow me to learn any…” 

Vl’asuna sighed.  “The list of misdeeds he has done to you just keeps growing.  Very well, I will support you on this, but do not be surprised if he takes it the wrong way.  By the way…how will you get the supplies you need?” 

With that question Sari realized she had a problem.  The only one with money to their name in the home was the Arbiter, which meant she would have to run the idea by him first.  That meant he could refuse to allow it and stop the plan in its tracks before it even began.  “Guess I will have to run this by Azu first….”  She said with a sigh. 

\-- 

“Is there anything else worthy of discussion today?”  One of the Councilors said.

“The only other thing I have is that we lost more supplies to that pirate.”  Another replied. 

“Humph…insignificant…” 

“Insignificant?”  The Arbiter growled.  “Those supplies were meant for someone else, not to mention the lives lost trying to prevent their loss!” 

“Kesi and his band of miscreants are a nuisance, no more Arbiter.”  Hyso ‘Malic, the head Councilor, retorted.  “There is no need for significant action against him.” 

“My ass!”  The Arbiter snapped.  “Sure he may be attacking small targets now, but I know he has bigger plans in mind.  What I do not know, but eventually he will do something big and the longer we wait to act the more likely that will happen!” 

“And what possibly can he do?” ‘Malic retorted with a sniff.  “He has but one destroyer and that is hardly threatening to our massive fleet.  You worry too much Arbiter.” 

“At least _one_ of us is concerned about what that bastard may be up to.”  He hissed.  “And he may have more forces elsewhere, hidden.  Remember about all those disappearances over the last two years!” 

“Which we have no confirmation on whether or not Kesi was involved with.” ‘Malic snorted.  “You read too much into these happenings. I think the fact that he nearly killed you _twice_ is making this a bit too personal for you.” 

The Arbiter snarled: of the Councilors ‘Malic got his goat the most.  “That has nothing to do with my concerns about his activities.”  He replied evenly.  “If anything it makes me more aware of what he is capable of, capabilities you _should_ be concerned about!” 

“Which we have no proof of besides _your_ word Arbiter.” One of the other Councilors pointed out.  “Normally we would take your word on it, but there is too much at stake here.” 

“Sending a fleet to blow up the _Righteous Justice_ is hardly something that would put ‘too much at stake’.”  The Arbiter sneered.  “Hell, the _Shadow of Intent_ would be more then enough!” 

“And you already have our answer on that.”  ‘Malic growled.  “If you are through wasting our time with your personal vendetta against Kesi, we would like to adjourn this meeting.” 

“Very well…since you are all too thick headed to listen to reason.”  The Arbiter rose abruptly and stormed out. 

 _Why do I even bother?_ He thought with growl as he made his way out of the Council chamber.  _They will not bother doing anything about him until he does do something big and by then it will be too late._   It was a miracle he was able to convince them to increase troop numbers and escort ships for the supply ships a year ago, but that was a small comfort.  _Kesi must have agents in the system some where._   He thought as he reached his vehicle.  _So he would know which supply ships are the least protected._ However, he knew he could do little about it, not without proof and especially not while the Council think this all is just a personal vendetta of his. 

The Arbiter sat in his vehicle for a couple moments, realizing there was something else he wanted to do before he went home.  _Ah yes…Sari._   He thought with a smile, his mood brightening.  _I need to see if there is anything at the market that we can use to protect her skin from the suns._   With the foolishness Councilors forgotten for the time being, he started the engine and headed off for the market. 

\-- 

Hyso ‘Malic retired to his personal quarters after the meeting, however there was a lot on his mind.  _He is getting more pushy about this Kesi thing._   He thought with an annoyed grunt as he sat down in his favorite chair.  _I may not be able to hold him off much longer, especially if he decides to get the public involved._   That would be a disaster, as the public loved the Arbiter, too much in Hyso’s opinion. 

It was already proving to be troublesome: recently he heard he forced a local hospital to take in a dying homeless wretch.  _What was he trying to do?  Tell us we need to tend to the weak?_   Hyso growled at the thought.  _That would destroy our society and weaken our people.  He needs to be knocked down a peg or two and put back into his place…_. 

Unfortunately, finding dirt on the Arbiter was rather difficult, as the man was careful about what he did.  The only thing he had was that homeless person, whose identity was unknown to him.  Then a thought occurred to him: what if that homeless person was someone the public wouldn’t take too kindly to being helped, like a murder or other criminal?  It was a long shot, but Hyso was willing to take the chance. 

However, as much as he would like to call the hospital in question himself, he knew he had to be discreet.  So he made a call to a contact that owed him a favor… 

\-- 

The market as bustling at this time of day, which gave the Arbiter a bit of difficulty in getting around despite being dressed as the Arbiter.  Those that weren’t so wrapped up in what they were doing did acknowledge him and enable him easier passage, the number of such individuals increased as word obviously got around.  So far at least, no one approached him about any business, though he did have a female ask if she could bare his children, whom he politely declined. 

Finally he got through to the new foreign goods section, which was decidedly less busy.  The Arbiter figured this was due to a combination of factions, one being that it was still new and the other being that his people still felt human products were inferior: the latter will take longer to get over unfortunately.  He slowed his pace as he glanced at the contents of the stalls.  Many stalls had what he would consider knickknacks or novelties:  items that his people really didn’t have a use for but were ‘cool to have’.  There was even a clothing stall, though due to the obvious size difference between species the only ones really interested in that one were the kids.  Then he spied a single stall that had a bunch of bottles on the counter and the merchant tending to it looked rather depressed:  it was apparent business wasn’t going well for him. 

“Things not going well?”  The Arbiter asked, figuring he’d at least give the man some company for the moment. 

“It is not obvious?”  The man growled in response, only to suddenly straighten up when he realized who he was talking to.  “Oh!  Arbiter!  I apologize for my rudeness.” 

“It is understandable in this case.”  He replied, waving a hand in dismissal. 

“Indeed…I am going to have to give my supplier a piece of my mind.”  The merchant said with a snarl.  “’Our people will love it’ he said…bah!  All this stuff has given me is trouble!” 

“What is this stuff?”  The Arbiter picked up one of the bottles and tried to read the script, but the…artistic lettering made it next to impossible despite how fluent he was in human script. 

“Various body lotions.” The merchant explained.  “Some supposedly heal dry skin, others soften it, and yet others seem to treat sun burns.  Those that actually bought some came back later to claim it gave them a rash and once word got around that destroyed any business I had.” 

 _Sun burns…wait…_   The Arbiter looked at the merchant.  “Sun burns?  Do you have anything that _prevents_ sun burns?” 

“Huh?  I do: humans call it ‘sun block’, though people laugh at that stuff, claiming what worked against one sun could not possibly work against three.  Besides, they would say, when was the last time any of us got a sun burn?” 

“I know someone that is a bit…prone…to them.”  The Arbiter explained. “So it may work in her case.” 

“Really?”  The merchant’s mood brightened and he immediately pointed out the product.  The Arbiter looked at it and was able to understand enough of the script to confirm that it was indeed sun block.  “If it works out for her…can you come back and buy my whole stock? Please? It would at least be something to make up for my losses….” 

“I will consider it.”  The Arbiter said as he paid for one bottle.  “I hope business picks up for you.” 

“If it does not I will have to accept my losses and try something else…”  The merchant replied with a sigh.  “Good day to you Arbiter, and thank you.” 

“I do what I can.”


	11. The Zealot

The Arbiter headed for the market yet again, this time though with Sari.  The white skinned female had just managed to convince him to let her do the cooking and cleaning in the house as repayment for his kindness.  He didn’t like it, getting the impression she wanted to be his servant, but in the end he couldn’t resist.  Besides, he figured if it made her happy that was a good thing and he wanted to see if that sun block worked out. 

The market wasn’t quite as busy this time around, but there were still a lot of people.  The Arbiter worried he would lose her easily in the crowd due to how small she was, so he told her to stay close.  However, unlike last time, he wasn’t going to be able to dodge his duties. 

“Your Excellency.”  A younger male said. “Can I speak with you for a moment?” 

The Arbiter sighed, already telling this will take a while, looked down at Sari.  “I will be a moment.” He told her.  “So go ahead and look around, but try not to go too far.”  Sari nodded in acknowledgement and wandered off.  “What do you want to talk about?”  He said to the young man, though why did he have a bad feeling all of a sudden? 

\-- 

Sari wandered the market, checking out the various wares in the stalls with more interest then she did last time she was here.  Last time she felt too nervous and a bit overwhelmed at what the Arbiter was doing for her. This time her spirits were high and she felt she could do just about anything.  While she did get some odd looks from fellow shoppers, they were all of shock and even curiosity rather then disgust.  

 _Not so long ago, they would be shooing me away, simply because of how I looked._   She thought a little bitterly. A part of her wondered if the looks were due to how thin she still was, something she could not help at the moment since regaining the weight she had lost would take time.  _That will change and soon I will be turning heads again._  

Soon she found a stall that specialized in cleaning supplies and she started looking through the products eagerly.  She figured that she would figure out what ones to get and when the Arbiter was done she could point them out to him.  After a couple of moments she became dimly aware that she was being watched, but chose to ignore it.  However the individual that was watching her chose not to ignore her. 

“Looking for something to steal?”  A cold voice said, one she realized she was vaguely familiar with.  Turning around she saw a Zealot, the same one that she had attempted to goad into killing her not so long ago. 

“Please...”  Sari said boldly.  “Why would I want to steal cleaning products?” 

“Maybe to consume so you can finally have that death you so badly wanted.”  The Zealot growled getting closer to her. 

Sari stood her ground.  “Do I look like I want death now?”  She asked him. 

The Zealot looked her over and seemed to growl in agreement reluctantly.  “You were on deaths door when I saw you last, how did you….” 

“Someone took pity.”  Sari said simply and then added with pride.  “The Arbiter himself.” 

The gold armored Sangheili recoiled back in shock, but then snarled viciously in disbelief.  “Impossible!  The noble Arbiter would not dirty his hands with the likes of you.” He growled. 

“Nothing is impossible.”  Sari retorted.  “He just has a much bigger heart and more honor then you.” 

The Zealot roared, Sari apparently hitting a nerve.  “I can see perhaps getting you to a hospital…” He growled after calming himself down a moment.  “But new clothes? I doubt that….”  She was about to retort that when he suddenly grabbed her by the neck.  “I think you took advantage of his kindness and took his money to squander.” 

“I would never….”  She started to say but he squeezed, choking her. 

“Scum like you are always the same.”  The Zealot growled.  “Little thieves that prey on the kindness of others.  That is the only way you know how to live!” 

Sari looked around, noticing with sorrow that no one was stepping in to help her, instead just watching the spectacle like it was some rare show.  She couldn’t even see the Arbiter:  has he abandoned her?  “You are worthless scum, not even worth the dust beneath our hooves.”  He started to squeeze harder and Sari, instead of seeing this Zealot’s yellow eyes she started to see her father’s red ones.  

Imagines from her past started flooding her mind, forcing her to relive the abuse she had suffered, both the physical and mental.  “You bring nothing to our society and only death is worthy of you!”  Now she was hearing her father’s voice from this Zealot and it was becoming too much for her to bear. 

“No!  Leave me alone!”  She choked out, tears streaming down her face as she vainly tried to break free from his grip.  Dark spots started appearing in her vision as the life was slowly choked out of her. 

“Starting to show your true colors I see.”  The Zealot said with a cruel smile.  “Just as I thought….” 

“Let.  Her.  Go.”  Another voice growled, one she recognized as someone that did care for her and started to bring her back from the brink.  The voice and image of her father faded from the Zealot before her and she saw the Zealot’s eyes widen in shock and terror.  She felt him release her and she crumpled to the ground in a heap, struggling to catch her breath. 

The next thing she saw was the Zealot flying as he was rammed from the side, the Arbiter now standing where he once was.  And the Arbiter looked very angry….

\-- 

“How dare you….”  The Arbiter growled, his blood boiling.  He had never felt this angry before, not even when the Prophet of Truth kept slipping out of his grasp did he feel this angry.  It felt almost like the Zealot had been trying to kill an important part of him, something he did not want to lose.  

Logically though, he knew remaining this angry would hamper his abilities and judgment, so he took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down, if only a little.  “Have you no honor!?”  He snapped at the Zealot, whom was only just getting back to his feet.  “Attacking someone that cannot defend themselves!?” 

“Noble Arbiter…”  The Zealot started, but the Arbiter backhanded him, sending him to the ground yet again.  Around them the crowd watched in blank shock.  “Arbiter please…hear me out!”  The Zealot pleaded, hands in the air in surrender. 

“I heard and saw enough already.”  “The Arbiter hissed.  “You judged her when you do not even know her or why she was in the situation she was in.  You automatically assumed she did something herself to put her in that situation.  She is a victim of crimes not her own and deserved none of what she had been through!  A victim that deserved another chance!  And you!”  He pointed at the crowd around them accusingly.  “All of you should be _ashamed_ of yourselves for not coming to her aid!  Have you no honor?  Have you no heart to help a fellow Sangheili in need!?” 

The crowd shrank away at his words, many looking indeed ashamed for their lack of action, while others simply did not seem to care.  Disgusted, the Arbiter turned his back on them and knelt beside Sari.  “Are you alright?”  He asked her. 

In her eyes he could tell the experience had brought up terrible memories of her past and that she was fighting to bury them again.  She wrapped her arms around him and started to cry.  “I want to go home…”  She whimpered between sobs. 

With a sigh he picked her up into his arms, ignoring the some of the crowd that was now gawking at them. He proceeded to carry her out of the market to his vehicle, then drove home where he had to hold and comfort her for the next several hours… 

\-- 

Business was slow today, so Ella had allowed the other two girls to leave early.  Not expecting any more customers for the day, she started doing inventory checks.  While she did so she started daydreaming about a certain Shipmaster.  She usually didn’t, but ever since her father’s health started to fail she needed some means of coping with the loss, so day dreaming it was.  

Ella knew a lot about him, at least militarily thanks to the Arbiter, even though the Arbiter didn’t give up this information rather _willingly_.  It was a pity though that he was an aristocrat, meaning he wasn’t allowed to marry by tradition.  _I can be his lover though…_   Ella thought dreamily.  _And bare his children._   As difficult as it was to even _see_ him she would be happy just to talk to him for a few minutes. 

She heard the door open and when she looked up she beamed at her luck:  Rtas had just walked in.  _And no one else is here…_ She thought with a grin.  _You are all mine!_  

“Heko?”  The Shipmaster called out, looking around.  “Are you here?” 

“I am afraid my father had to turn in early due to his health.”  Ella said sorrowfully as she approached the counter.  

“Oh…I…see…” Rtas replied, sounding a bit nervous for some reason. 

“You are here for your cream correct?”  He gave a quick nod and she reached under the counter to retrieve it.  “Father did take care to remind me to sent one aside for you when it came in.”  She placed the jar on the counter: it had a little note on it that said ‘for Rtas’ with a little heart on it.  A bit immature of her but she couldn’t help herself. 

When he reached to grab it she quickly put her hand on top of his.  “You know…”  She said quietly, looking at and admiring his hand.  “You should come in and let me do your hooves sometime. The Arbiter himself vouches for my skill.  Maybe go out for a drink afterward?” 

As she finally looked up into his eyes she realized something was terribly wrong.  At most she would have expected perhaps an annoyed expression, but instead she saw nothing but fear.  The Shipmaster was stock still save for the trembling in his hands, which was quickly starting to extend to the rest of his body.  _This is not normal…_ She thought as she said. “Shipmaster…what is wrong?” 

“Please….let….go…..”  Rtas said quietly, his eyes wide in terror. 

 _I am not even gripping his hand!_   She thought as she lifted her hand off his.  Immediately he jerked back, somehow still managing to hold on to the jar itself.  Ella watched as he backed away, both arms rising as if to protect himself from some blow, then he bolted out the door faster then she had seen anyone move. 

Ella just stood there for a moment in dumb shock before she was able to gather her wits.  After locking the door she quickly ran upstairs and started pouring over her old school databases.  It didn’t take her long to find what she was looking for. 

 _No wonder he does not come to the surface often…_   She thought sadly, feeling her dreams starting to crumble.  _That poor man…what happened in his life to give him_ _Gynophobia?_  

The fear of women. 

\-- 

Once he was out of there he ducked into an alley, out of sight of any passerby, and took several moments to calm himself down.  As always after he had an ‘event’ he felt incredible shame and embarrassment about it.  It was why he kept himself on the ship, or anyplace where he risked having an event.  He didn’t want anyone else to know this shame of his, knowing the ridicule he would receive due to it.  Yet deep in his heart he knew it was only a matter of time before someone figured it out. 

 _Why do I continue to let myself live like this?_ He asked himself.  Rtas really wanted to settle down and have a family of his own, but as long as he had this fear that would never happen.  _I need help…but who would help me?  Who ‘could’ help me?_  

With a heavy sigh he started walking, walking toward the home of the only person he knew he could trust with such a secret.  Yet he knew it would be difficult to even tell him….


	12. Secrets

It was Vl’asuna that answered the door.  “Ah, finally decided to stay on the surface for awhile eh?”  The Lipor said with a teasing grin. 

“Only because I need to talk to the Arbiter about something important.” Rtas said as he came in. 

“Always business with you…do you not ever lighten up and just have fun?”  Vl’asuna said with a snort. 

“I wish.”  Rtas said sadly. 

“Well Azu will be out in a moment: he is taking the first opportunity in hours he has to take off his armor.” 

Rtas found that a bit odd:  the Arbiter always took his armor off first thing when he was done for the day and from how Vl’asuna said it, it appeared he had been home for awhile.  “What happened?”  He asked. 

“Long day…”  The Arbiter said as he came out of his room wearing a bathrobe.  “Between those idiot Councilors and selfish people in the market…argh…I do not want to think about it.” 

“Well do not expect relief from him,” Vl’asuna said.  “He is here on business.” 

“Not so much business as to talk about a…personal problem….”  Rtas said. 

Before the Arbiter could respond a small figure emerged from the bathroom.  Though he didn’t really look around at the parlor yesterday he recognized the figure as the white female he saw there.  What was she doing here? 

“Excuse me a moment brother,” The Arbiter said as he walked over to her.  “How do you feel?” He asked her. 

“A little better…”  The female said, Rtas seeing just how tiny she was compared to the Arbiter.  Was she only a child?  He also noticed she was a bit on the thin side and the area around her eyes were puffy and purple, like she had been crying for while.  It dawned on him that the Arbiter must have been comforting her for some time, hence why he only just now was able to remove his armor.  “But…still….” 

The Arbiter gently hushed her, much like a father would to a distressed child.  “Do not think about what happened today.” He told her, stroking her face.  “Did you eat anything yet?”  She shook her head.  “Go ahead and eat something then ok?” 

Rtas watched as he gently coaxed her in the direction of the kitchen, a slight frown on his face.  At first he thought the Arbiter was being a father figure to this girl, but as he continued to watch he saw signs of something deeper going on.  “Arbiter…did you adopt?”  He asked when he turned his attention back to him. 

“If she was the age she looks, then I probably would have,” The Arbiter said with a faint laugh.  “She is an adult, just unusually small.” 

“Who is she? I saw her at the parlor along with you yesterday, but I had assumed she was there on her own.”  His curiosity peaking, he completely forgot about why he came here in the first place. 

“Her name is Sari,” The Arbiter replied as they both sat at the dinning room table.  “She was near death when I found her and I took her in.” 

“Doing a public service then?” Rtas said with a raised brow.  “Trying to set a good example?” 

“That…was not what was in my mind when I found her,” His friend admitted.  “It is difficult to explain.” 

“You do seem rather…affectionate toward her…”  Rtas pointed out. 

To his surprise the Arbiter blushed faintly.  “I cannot help it…not with how I feel about her.” 

It clicked immediately.  “Arbiter!  Are you…” 

“Yes,” He replied quickly.  “But I have to be careful,” He sounded sad and a bit bitter.  “She has suffered terrible abuse both physically and mentally.  It will be a while before she will be capable of accepting any advances.” 

“Are you not worried about any possible stigma from choosing her as your…mate?” 

“Oh I know I will get some flack for it, but I do not care.  She deserves much better then what she had before.  It is wrong to attach a father’s sins to their child anyway….” 

The last line got him by surprise.  “She’s the daughter of a criminal?” 

The Arbiter looked hesitant to reply, then sighed and finally said.  “Her full name is Sari ‘Sasav.” 

It took a moment for it to register and when it did his jaw gaped open.  “I…did not know that bastard had any children….” 

“Nor did I until I met her.”  The Arbiter admitted. 

“You know you thread on dangerous ground right?  If he finds out….” 

“Kesi _disowned_ her…,” The Arbiter growled.  “Because of how she looked.  Before that he abused both her and her mother whenever he was home.  She deserves none of the stigma he has wrongfully attached to her.” 

“I understand that, but you know our society…”  Rtas cautioned. 

“Yes…I know…,” The Arbiter snarled.  “I nearly took the head off a Zealot today because he tried to kill her.  The incident shook her up terribly and it took me hours to calm her down.” 

Rtas realized he could be in dangerous territory.  If the Arbiter was as protective of her as he seemed to be, that meant if he had an event with Sari the Arbiter could take it the wrong way.  While he doubted his long time friend would kill him outright, he knew he could possibly be in a world of hurt.  _I better tell him quickly…_ He thought.  _So he would understand…_  

Just then Sari came out of kitchen and approached the table.  Rtas felt his heart rate go up and his muscles tighten as she handed the Arbiter a ration packet.  _Oh no…_   He thought when he saw she had another packet in her hands.  No matter how hard he tried, he could not calm himself down.  When she turned her attention toward him and offered the packet to him, he yelped and tried to jump back, only to fall backwards in his chair.  He heard Sari squeak in surprise and no doubt cower behind the Arbiter. 

“Rtas!”  He heard the Arbiter growl hotly.  “What was the meaning of that!?”  Rtas saw the Arbiter’s form appear above him, his fists clenched in fury.  “She has been through enough trauma today without you adding to it!” 

“Pl…please…Arbiter…,” Rtas stuttered, his hands up in surrender in hopes to keeping the Arbiter from taking out his anger on him physically.  “It…it is nothing…against her….personally….” 

“It certainly looked like it was.”  The Arbiter growled and started for him. 

“Peace Azu!”  Vl’asuna snapped, coming between the two.  “Something else is going on here,” The Lipor looked down at him.  “Am I correct?” 

Rtas quickly nodded and managed to get to his feet.  Sari, he noticed, had retreated to the far side of the room, looking rather wary of him. He felt guilty about frightening her like that.  “You better explain quickly then.”  The Arbiter growled, returning to his seat. 

Slowly, Rtas sat back down into his own seat, removed his helmet and put his head in his hands.  How to start?  He recalled the jar he had taken from the parlor and with shame realized he never paid for it in full.  Rtas pulled it out of his pouch and set it on the table.  The Arbiter looked at it for a moment, but didn’t seem to make the connection. 

“What is that for?” He asked. 

“Ella…finally asked me out…,” Rtas said slowly.  “But…there is no way I can accept….” 

“Why not?  Not your type?”  Vl’asuna asked. 

“No, she is a fine woman…it is just that…I…I am afraid of them….” 

There it was finally out, he finally told someone.  He knew he would have no choice but to endure the ridicule he knew he would receive… 

\-- 

It took a moment for the Arbiter to catch on and once it did he looked at his friend dumbstruck.  It certainly explained a lot about why he was reluctant to stay on the surface for any length of time!  “Rtas….how long….?” 

“I have bared this burden since I was a child Arbiter…,” Rtas replied sadly.  “You are the first to know….” 

The Arbiter watched his friend for a moment, not sure what to say.  It was evident that Rtas felt embarrassed by this, even ashamed of it:  no wonder it took him so long to tell someone.  “You seem fine around ‘Mura…or even Miranda when she was still alive.”  He said, trying to find a way to console him. 

“I only have a reaction with our _own_ females Arbiter,” Rtas explained, putting his arms down with a heavy thud against the table.  “Even then…it depends.  If they do not try to interact with me in any shape or form I am fine.  But the moment they do….”  He put his head in his hands again. 

“You need to get help Rtas….professional help,” The Arbiter told him.  “I am sure there is a therapist that can….” 

Rtas laughed, a pathetic, weak and strained sounding one.  “You forget Arbiter, how our medical fields are _dominated_ by women.  I may be able to get in the door, but once they start talking I would be back out of it faster then they can say my name!” 

“What about the humans then?” The Arbiter suggested.  “Surely they have therapists of their own.” 

“And how would I get to them without revealing who I am?”  Rtas said bitterly as he tapped the stubs of his left mandibles.  “I can not exactly hide this!  That is the biggest problem here: the moment word gets out about my problem I will never hear the end of it and I will die from the shame!” 

“Brother,” The Arbiter said sternly.  “If it is found out while you are trying to find help that is one thing, as at least you are trying to find help!  However, if you continue to try to hide it and it is discovered anyway, the ridicule would be that much worse!  It would be in your best interest to find help…now…rather then later,” He put a hand on his shoulder, “I know you want help for this, why else would you reveal this to me?  However, you need to get the courage to find someone that _can_ help you.” 

“But…what about….” 

“What about what?  Your reputation?  Those that would make fun of you for this are fools and cowards.  I already told you I did not care when I took Sari in, despite who her father was.” 

“That is different then this!” 

“I beg to differ,” The Arbiter said.  “Sari is Kesi’s daughter…and the stigma of that man follows her where ever she goes.  I know that eventually the Council will hear of this and ask me if I lost my mind: you know how I feel about the Council.” 

Rtas blinked at him, apparently hitting the right nerve.  The Arbiter watched as he looked around randomly, apparently trying to think of some thing to say.  Then he looked at the table and started to scratch at it with a claw in apparent indecision. 

“Look, I am sure Johnson knows some people….”  The Arbiter started to say but Rtas cut him off. 

“Johnson is the _last_ human I want knowing about this!”  He growled. 

“Who says you have to tell him it’s _your_ issue you want to be seen about?”  Vl’asuna offered. “You can always say it is for someone else, if you are that worried about your pride.” 

“But…there are things I would rather not bring to the surface…,” Rtas trembled, apparently remembering something he would rather not.  “Things that are too painful…even now….” 

“If you want to defeat this fear, you have to face it,” Vl’asuna said sternly.  “Stop making excuses for yourself and stop trying to hide from your past.  Doing either will only hamper you on your road to recovery.  You do want to be rid of this fear do you not?”  Rtas nodded slowly.  “Then you have already taken the first couple of steps: the first was to realize you have a problem, the second is wanting help.” 

“Brother, I can make the appropriate arrangements to have someone see you on Earth,” The Arbiter offered.  “ _Without_ revealing who you are.  However, after that will be up to you to actually follow through with it:  can I count on you to do that?” 

“I…I do not know….”  Rtas said quietly, looking at the table. 

With a sigh the Arbiter reached over and forced him to look at him.  “Promise me you will go Rtas,” He said.  “Do not make me turn that into an _order_.” 

“I…I promise…Arbiter….”


	13. Decision

_“What about this one?” Mother asked, pointing to a picture of a dancer.  “I think you would be an eye catching dancer when you get older.”_

_I blushed, giggling.  Mother and I were trying to decide what profession I should take and work in when I became an adult.  We looked at a seamstress, nurse, and a few others, but so far none really held any interest to me.  “I do not know mother,”  I said, still giggling.  “I am not sure I would want every male in the area gawking at me.”_

_“That is kind of the intent dear,”  Mother said with a chuckle.  “By law they would not be allowed to touch you, so you would not have to worry about any of them getting frisky.”_

_I giggled again and looked at the picture more.  “But want about when I get too old to dance?  What would I do then?”_

_“Well, Forerunners willing, you would be the head of your own dancing school by then, teaching other girls how to make males eyes pop out of their heads.”_

_I got the mental image of a group of males with their eyes bulging out of their heads and jaws agape. Unable to contain myself, I fell over laughing._

_“What is going on in here?” Father’s voice growled from the doorway.  I immediately stopped laughing and hid behind mother:  father’s presence always terrified me._

_“Sari and I were trying to decide what she wants to be when she gets older.”  Mother replied calmly._

_Father looked down at us, then suddenly slapped the book out of Mother’s hands.  “Nothing,” He hissed.  “She will be nothing!”_

_“But Kesi,”  Mother protested.  “She needs to do something when she gets older and at five years old she is at the age where she will need to start training for some of them.”_

_“Was I not clear woman?”  Father growled, getting in Mother’s face.  “The only thing she is good for is doing day to day house hold duties.”_

_“You do not know that,”  Mother growled.  “Just because she is different does not mean she is worthless.”_

_Father snarled and backhanded her, sending Mother to the floor.  Whimpering I ran and hid under a table, fearing what father may do next.  “Until you bare me a son like you are_ supposed _to, then she will be nothing.”_

_“Be reasonable Kesi!”  Mother pleaded.  “As hard as it is for me to conceive that may never happen!”_

_“My word shall stand,”  Father growled.  “Until I get a son out of your useless hide, she will do nothing but a slaves work.”_  

Sari trembled as she woke up from the dream memory.  She remembered too painfully how father did indeed keep his word and kept her from starting any training.  The opportunities slipped her by as the years past, losing her chance to becoming a dancer and many other things that required her to start early in life.  Plus the longer her Mother went without conceiving, the worse father became toward them both. 

She remembered one day when Mother told her that she suspected that Kesi was not able to sire children at all anymore.  This little suspicion they never dared to bring up to him, as surely he would kill them both.  Yet that suspicion nagged at her even now, making her wonder: was father capable of siring children at all in the first place? If so, that meant Mother must have mated with someone else to pacify him for a time. 

 _Oh how I would love to learn now that he is not my father…_ She thought bitterly.  _With Azu beside me, I would love to shove such knowledge in his face!_  

There was no way to test that suspicion that she knew of.  With Mother missing and likely dead, such a secret would remain unsolved.  Those in control of the DNA databases probably would not want to risk doing any DNA comparisons on just a suspicion.   No they would want something more substantial to convince them of using the resources needed to do such a search. 

Sari shook her head:  there was no point in wondering about such things.  Besides, what if it turned out Kesi really _was_ her father?  She would have no choice but to accept the fact, plus Mother said that she suspected he wasn’t capable of siring children _anymore_ , meaning she was still likely his child anyway. 

With a sigh she got out of bed and looked over her meager wardrobe, which, though meager, was bigger then what she had before.  As she picked out a nice lilac dress, she couldn’t help but thinking about how the Arbiter was being so much like the father figure she wished she had.  She didn’t know his age, but he did look nearly old enough to _be_ her father.  There was a chance his somewhat aged appearance was due to all the years in the war however, so appearances could be deceiving.  She wasn’t about to ask him is age though:  that would be just inappropriate! 

She finished off the attire with a grayish lilac sash around her waist and shank band of the same color on her left shank.  When she exited her room she drew back in slight shock at what the Arbiter chose to wear for the day.  He was in a very dark grey shirt with a reddish brown vest over it.  The vest extended down to half way down his thighs and was held in place by a burnished gold sash around his waist. His pants were brick red and only extended slightly past his knees.  Overall, he looked…rather attractive…in that get up. 

“Are you ready?” He asked. 

“Uh…for want?”  She replied, trying her best not to let her eyes rove too much. 

“The market,” The Arbiter explained.  “Since we did not get a chance to get the things you need yesterday I figure we could try again today.” 

“Oh…but…what about…”  Sari wasn’t sure she could handle another encounter like the one yesterday. 

“Do not worry,”  He reassured her.  “Since I am not going as the Arbiter I will not likely get distracted like last time.  Besides, we did not really get a chance to see if that sunblock worked or not for you.” 

“Oh…give me a couple of minutes to put some on then…”  Sari said as she retreated back to her room.  She still felt uncertain about going out again so soon.  _But…perhaps as long as I stay next to him…nothing bad will happen._  

\-- 

They ran into no trouble at the market and were able to get a few bags of supplies, including various food stuffs.  Sari felt eager to cook again and just hoped she didn’t give the Arbiter food poisoning from her first attempt in years.  While he was loading their purchases in the vehicle Sari noticed a small group of males watching them.  They were all somewhat poorly dressed and definitely lower class, but they looked healthy and strong regardless.  Sari did not like the look of them, as they had ‘trouble’ written all over their faces. 

“Azu…,”  She said nervously, glancing back and forth between the rear of the vehicle and the group of males.  “I…think we should be going….” 

“Almost done,”  The Arbiter replied, sounding slightly muffled due to being half in the storage compartment of the vehicle.  “Just making sure everything will be secure on the trip home.”  Suddenly the lid of the storage compartment fell down, trapping him half way in.  She heard a yelp of pain and surprise along with a few rather colorful curse words. 

“Azu?  You alright?”  Sari said as she walked over to him and tried to lift the lid to free him.  She got it part way up when she was suddenly yanked away.  To her horror the five males she had spotted earlier had used this opportunity to act. 

“Hey there sweet thing…,” One of them said as they started to circle her.  “Where have you been all my life?” 

“Leave me alone….”  Sari squeaked backing away from them. 

“I think not…,”  One of the males said, a leering grin on his face.  “You look too delicious to pass up…,”  The male reached for her and reflexively she lashed out.  Her claws connected with the man’s face, leaving a couple of light scratches.  “Ow!  You little wretch!”  He threw a backhanded fist at her…. 

Suddenly the Arbiter was there and he caught the man’s fist: she must have lifted the lid just enough for him to free himself and come to her aid yet again.  He quickly twisted the male’s arm behind him then gave him a solid kick in the rear, sending him sprawling forward.  “You want her…you have to go through _me_ first!”  The Arbiter hissed. 

The gang sized him up, considering.  “You are on…,”  One of them growled.  “Five against one…the odds are in our favor.” 

“Do not be so certain of that…,”  The Arbiter growled.  “Sari, take cover.  I do not want you to be hurt during this.” 

Sari did not need to be told twice.  She hid behind their vehicle and watched as the youths surrounded the Arbiter, cocky, self assured expressions on their faces.  They would not know what hit them. 

The Arbiter let them strike first; then seemed to explode into action. He sidestepped one punch, grabbed the arm that threw it, then twisted it in such a way that it caused the assailant to flip over onto his back.  Still holding that arm, he lashed out with one hoof, catching another in the middle and doubling him over.  His left fist met up with yet another’s mandibles:  Sari heard the sound of bones cracking. 

He finally let go of the first’s arm as he ducked another punch, then followed up with two of his own to the assailants middle.  The one he had flipped grabbed him by the leg, restricting his movement.  Before he could do anything about it, the one had not struck yet grabbed him from behind.  The Arbiter threw his body downward, flipping the man over his back and onto the other’s back, which forced him to release his grip on his leg.  Again he lashed out with hoof in a round house kick, catching the one he kicked previously in the head and knocking him out cold. 

The two that remained standing, one of which had one mandible hanging limply, rushed him.  He jumped back at the last moment, forcing the two to crash into each other.  While they were both standing there stunned, he grabbed them both by the heads and smashed them together, rendering them unconscious.  

The remaining two were now on their feet, though one still looked a bit winded after having his buddy slammed on top of him.  The other one lunged at him, his fist coming in fast.  The Arbiter grabbed it with one hand, slammed his hand into the elbow joint, which forced him to bend down and finally finished off with a knee to the chin.  With the last one he simply grabbed and head butted him. 

Sari was awe struck.  The Arbiter took them all out without even receiving a blow himself.  Her amazement was cut short however when someone grabbed her from behind and the glint of a blade caught her eye.  “Come any closer…she dies….”  The blades owner growled.  The Arbiter looked their way and she saw his face darken with fury.  

“What kind of coward uses such a tactic?”  The Arbiter growled. 

“The one that plays to win…,”  The male said, Sari seeing his grin out of the corner of her eye.  “Now, stay where you are…and do not move until we are gone…,”  The Arbiter started forward and Sari felt him press the blade against her cheek.  “Come now…you do not want her pretty face ruined now do you?” 

The Arbiter growled, his eyes darting this way and that:  Sari could tell he was trying to think of something, anything, to get her out of this.  The male, seemingly satisfied that he got his point across, started to force her backwards with him. Sari did not want to know what this man wanted with her, nor did she want to find out either.  _He cannot do anything…_   She thought, seeing the Arbiter grow increasingly panicked.  She looked around for anyone that could help them, but no one else was around from what she could see.  _I…I have to help myself…but how?_  

She noticed just how close the man’s wrist, the one holding the blade, was to her mouth.  Perhaps she could…but wouldn’t that be considered a dirty tactic?  _Like he is using clean tactics!_   She thought, her jaws tightening in bitterness.  _I am tired of being afraid and helpless!_   With that thought, she lunged and sank her teeth in the man’s wrist. 

The man yelped in surprise, dropping the knife.  The Arbiter wasted no time in acting, charging forward like a berserk Brute.  Sari wisely ducked as the Arbiter threw a fist at the man’s head.  She heard more bones cracking and the man’s gripe on her slackened, then loosened completely as he fell to the ground. 

“Are you alright?”  He asked her. 

“Yes…,”  Sari replied, rubbing her arm.  “Thank you.” 

“That was a risky thing you did.” The Arbiter told her, stroking her face. 

“What else could I do?”  She asked.  “I do not know anything about fighting, father forbade it.” 

“That fool…,”  He growled.  “Females are allowed to learn the basics…if only to defend themselves!” 

“Well apparently he disagreed,”  Sari grumbled.  “But I am tired…tired of being helpless and afraid.  But…I do not know how to go about fixing that….” 

“I do…,”  The Arbiter said softly.  “I can teach you how to fight.” 

She looked up at him in shock.  “I…do not know what to say to that…” 

He smiled.  “You do not need to say anything,”  The Arbiter looked down and around at the punks he just fought.  “Let is go before the riffraff wake up.” 

Sari nodded in agreement.  The pair got into their vehicle and left the gaggle of young males unconscious and likely going to be in much pain when they woke up behind….


	14. Ambush

Rtas looked at himself in the mirror once again, not used to seeing himself in civilian attire.  _You act fast Arbiter…_ He thought with a faint chuckle.  Wasn’t it only yesterday that he revealed his secret?  Yet this morning he found a message on his console from him, informing him that he had a flight this evening and a reminder that he had better take it. 

Gingerly, he touched his mandible stubs, hoping no one instantly recognized him on the trip due to them.  He wasn’t even certain if once he got to Earth if the chances of recognition would decrease despite the humans not usually being able to tell his people apart.  _One worry at a time…,_ Rtas told himself as he forced himself away from the mirror and headed for the door.  _Need to get myself to the port first and that will be challenging as it is._   A part of him really wished he could just take the _Shadow of Intent_ , but not only would that just _scream_ his presence: also, he seriously doubted the Councilors would have permitted him to use it as his personal transport.  So public transport it was. 

Rtas dreaded the trip, for even trying to get to the port risked him having an event. He had to hope the port receptionist wasn’t female, or that any of the female passengers wouldn’t try to talk to him.  The mere thought of it nearly made him change his mind.  _No…I must go through with this._  He told himself, forcing himself out his front door. 

It was just turning evening when he left, with only one of their system’s suns overhead.  This time of day most people were starting to turn in, reducing his chances of having an event on the way to the port. He had opted to walk, thinking the cooler air would help calm his nerves since the port wasn’t too far away from his home. 

However, part way there he got an uneasy feeling, his combat instincts telling him that something was amiss.  Rtas looked behind him, only to see nothing.  _Of all the times not to have my armor…._   He thought, feeling his heart rate increase as his body readied itself for a fight or flight response.  Slowly he continued, watching his surroundings, but was unable to shake the feeling that he was being followed.  The longer he walked, the more nervous he started to become, but he resisted the urge to run. 

Finally, he stopped and looked around, starting to get annoyed.  “Who is there?”  He demanded.  “Who is following me?” 

There was a malicious sounding chuckle, one he instantly recognized.  Immediately he felt his blood turn cold and terror fill his hearts:  any notion of fighting fled instantly.  “Why if it is not Rtas…,” The owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows.  “It has been years…has it not?” 

“St….stay away….”  Rtas said, backing away. 

“I think not…,” The figure said coldly as she approached.  His eyes focused on a metal pipe the figure wielded, which she casually swung around as if it was nothing.  After a couple more seconds he bolted, running as fast as his hooves could take him.  To his horror, he heard his tormentor giving chase.  “You will not escape this time!” He heard the figure taunt. 

Blind panic filled his mind, keeping him from using any of his vast military experience to help him escape.  He turned left, only to discover too late that he had turned down an ally that lead to a dead end.  “No….”  Rtas whined, turning to see his pursuer blocking his only exit. 

“Oh the irony…,” The figure said, the grin on her face clearly seen.  “An alley littered with trash and debris, the perfect place for a piece of trash like you.”  Rtas plastered himself against a corner, wishing he could just go through the damn wall right now.  “I have been watching…waiting for this moment…,” She said, voice dripping with malice.  “To finish what I started with you when you were a child!”  She pointed the bar at his face, its tip lying across his cheek.  “Do you know why I did not just kill you back then?”  Not waiting for a response the female continued.  “Quite simply your blood father came and took you away before the thought crossed my mind.  Besides, if I had, then your blood father probably would have had me and father punished for it and unjustly so!”  She leaned close to him.  “After all….you killed mother….” 

Rtas wanted to protest that, knowing now that wasn’t true at all, but the fear he felt paralyzed him and he was unable to speak. The figure drew the bar back and swung it at him.  Instinctively he ducked, the bar hitting the wall with a loud _clang_ instead.  “Please don’t hurt me!” He pleaded, cowering with both hands shielding his head. 

The figure laughed, sending chills down his spine.  “Look at you!  A Shipmaster of our proud race…cowering before me!  You have the experience and the skills to overpower me, stop this torture, and save your life.  Yet you cannot, can you?  You are so frightened of me that you can barely move!”  She leaned in close as she added.  “That fact…makes this moment all the more enjoyable for me….”  She raised the bar over her head and then started to hit him with it repeatedly.  All Rtas could do was hold his arms up in hopes of shielding himself from the blows, but she quickly broke through his feeble defense and started hitting something much more vital. 

After a couple more blows he remembered no more…. 

\-- 

“You seem a bit nervous.”  

The Arbiter looked down at the Lipor, seeing the slight teasing grin on her face. “Just…a little,” He admitted.  “It has been…ages…since someone cooked for me.” 

He was sitting at the dinning room table, Vl’asuna sitting on the ground beside him.  Sari was in the kitchen cooking and while it _smelled_ good, it was the taste that will determine if she was successful with her efforts.  In all honesty, he wondered if his stomach would be able to handle it, since he had been eating mostly military rations for years.  “Calm down Azu,” Vl’asuna said, still with that teasing grin on her face.  “I do not believe she would poison you intentionally.” 

“I know…I know…” 

“Besides, I thought you Sangheili had iron clad stomachs that could handle anything.” 

The Arbiter gave her a look.  “That remains to be seen….” He said. 

“However it turns out, _try_ not to be harsh,” The Lipor said.  “The poor dear has low enough self-esteem already.” 

He nodded, sighing.  A part of him wondered if he could pull off a lie without being too obvious about it if it came to it.  Yet another part of him really wanted to avoid lying to her at all: if she found out that he lied at any point it would destroy her trust in him.  He wanted to keep her spirits high, though it seemed fate loved to send it crashing every time it reached a certain point. The Arbiter took a deep breath to calm himself and put his mind in a confident and positive mindset. 

Sari came out with a bowl of what looked like lightly spiced and cooked chunks of meat and set it on the table.  “I…I think I may have over cooked them…,” She said disappointedly.  “I used to make this with mother all the time, but…never had to do it completely on my own before.” 

“Better overcooked then undercooked.”  The Arbiter said reassuringly as he looked at the offerings for a moment before putting a few pieces on his plate.  _Great…,_ He thought, fighting to keep the frown off his face.  _Mother used to cook this often and I never liked it._   It was a simple recipe as well if he remembered right, which added to the irony of this situation.  He forced himself to pick up a piece and pop it into his mouth, trying to keep an open mind and not to judge before he had even tasted it. 

His eyes widened in surprise once the flavor hit his palate and he was tempted just let it sit on his _origua_ to savor the taste.  “Something is wrong with it…I just know it…”  Sari muttered, mistaking the expression on his face for disgust. 

The Arbiter quickly swallowed the morsel with a quick upward jerk of his head, forcing the food down into his throat where his strong neck muscles took over.  “No, not at all,” He replied honestly.  “In fact…this is better then how my mother used to cook this.” 

“Yeah…right…” 

“No…really,” He insisted.  “I never liked this particular recipe when I was a kid, I think it was partly because mother liked to add her own _flare_ to even the simplest of recipes, much to my and father’s chagrin…” 

Sari blinked at him, looking unsure if she believed him or not.  Then finally she smiled faintly.  “Thank you…it is…my mother’s variation on the recipe.”  She said quietly. 

“Well, your mother had much better sense on what should and should not be added.”  He promptly ate a few more pieces, Sari finally eating a few herself.  Vl’asuna looked at the food, looking hungry herself. 

“May I try some?”  She asked. 

“If there is any left after I am done.”  The Arbiter said teasingly. 

The Lipor’s ears went back and then she promptly gave him a playful _bite_ on the leg.  After feeling those sharp triple canines on his leg, he quickly gave her some. 

You never get between a Lipor and food…. 

\-- 

In a dark alley a figure stirred after being unconscious for an uncertain amount of time. Pain was the first thing he was aware of, followed by the taste of blood in his mouth.  Slowly he rose from the ground and discovered that his right hand and arm were not working too well, the fingers of that hand looking odd and disjointed.  Using his other hand, which seemed to be fine, he started checking himself over.  His right arm was swollen from repeated blows from something and a few of the bones in his hand had to be broken  As he checked the rest of his body, he determined that he had a couple of bruised ribs as well, not to mention the splitting headache that was making it hard to focus on anything.  Over all, it was his upper body that had received all the injuries:  his legs were fine. 

Carefully he got up to his feet, a wave of dizziness nearly sending him crashing back down to the ground, but he was able to steady himself by leaning against a wall.  He checked his surroundings, trying to remember how he got here and how he got injured so.  A few memories trickled back into his mind, telling him who he was and why he was in this state.  _Damn you…Gala…_   Rtas thought painfully as he forced himself to stagger forward.  He remembered the torture she put him through, making his life as a child hell and causing him to develop this phobia.  As he slowly continued forward, he fought back every wave of pain that throbbed in his head and each bought of dizziness that threatened to make him collapse. 

Rtas had to get help, find some place safe.  He remembered Gala saying she intended to kill him and why he was still alive he did not know:  something must have happened to keep her from finishing him off.  What he _did_ know was that she could come back at any moment to finish the job. In his condition, he would be helpless, phobia or not, so he continued to force himself forward. 

 _That house…,_ He thought as he looked down the street after exiting the alley.  _Looks familiar…_   However, Rtas could not remember why it looked familiar.  _If I know it…it may be a safe place…_   With grim determination he made for it.


	15. Medic!

It had been a very rough time for Ella ‘Issal as of late. 

Not only had her dreams of becoming Rtas Vadum’s mate been shattered with the discovery that the poor man had Gynophobia, but her father passed away last night.  On top of that, when she called one of the employees of the shop to tell her she wasn’t going to be opening the shop today, that employee said she was only to come in today to announce she was going to quit anyway.  The three painful blows in such a short time had exhausted her mentally, and physically she wasn’t far behind. 

Ella reclined back in one of the parlor chairs and rubbed her forehead with a sigh.  _Why did this have to happen all at once?_   She thought.  _It is just too much…_  

“Here,” Ella looked to see Rena holding out a hot beverage toward her.  “You look like you could use a pick-me-up.” 

“Thank you Rena…,” Ella said gratefully as she accepted the cup and took a long sip.  “And thank you for coming over to help me during this…difficult time.” 

“You needed a shoulder to lean on.”  Rena said quietly as she sat down beside her. 

“I knew he was going to go soon…,” Ella muttered.  “But to happen so suddenly….” 

“He passed in his sleep, so he was not in pain.”  Rena reminded her. 

“I know.  I just…did not think his death would hit me this hard…,” Ella said softly.  “I feel so alone.” 

“But you are not alone Ella. I am here and I will help you through this for however long is necessary.” 

Ella managed a smile.  “Thank you, you are a true friend.” 

“Shame Vale chose this time to quit….how…tactless.”  Rena grumbled. 

“Indeed,” Ella took another long sip.  “Her…resignation has put us in a bind:  this shop will be difficult to run with just the two of us,” She sighed as she added.  “I am going to have to announce that we are hiring to fill the gaps, but not now, not so soon.  I may have to keep the shop closed for a few days while I…recover.” 

“Our regulars will understand,” Rena assured her.  “Perhaps some will even donate some money to help out.  I am sure that Azu will, considering how you two get along,” The female smiled slyly.  “Speaking of which, I am surprised you have not considered him mate material: he is certainly handsome enough.” 

Ella chuckled faintly: if only she knew who Azu really was.  “He and I are friends, nothing more,” She replied.  “He is a good man, but not quite my type.” 

“So you still have your sights set on that ‘Vadum fella then.” 

She winced slightly at the mention of his name.  “I am afraid I may have to let that one go and start looking elsewhere.” 

“Huh?  Why?”  Her companion looked understandably confused. 

“Let us just say I discovered something about him that would make it really difficult to get him to take me out on a date.” 

“Do not tell me he is one of those that like other guys…”  Rena had a faint look of disgust. 

“No dear, it is not like that,” Ella reassured her.  “I cannot say what it is however, as it does carry a bit of a stigma.  Treatable…but in his case it would be next to impossible for him to withstand treatment.” 

“Now you are just making me curious.” 

“Sorry…I am not telling.” 

“Bah!” 

There was a thud at the door, causing both females to jump.  When they looked at the door they saw it open and a figure stagger in.  Ella was about to tell the individual that they were closed when she recognized him and she gasped in shock at his condition. 

“Rtas!?”  She said, jumping to her feet and dropping her beverage, the cup shattering on the floor.  He looked at them and then collapsed in a heap on the floor.  Both women ran to his side and started to assess his condition.  They could see multiple welts on his upper body and his right arm looked particularly bad, possibly broken. 

“Someone has beaten the crap out of him…,” Rena muttered.  “We need to get him to a hospital.” 

“No…,” Rtas said weakly.  “No…hospital…” 

“But…” 

“He has Gynophobia,” Ella told her, realizing she had no choice but to reveal his secret to her.  “He would freak in a hospital environment.” 

“He is afraid of hospitals?”  Rena asked, completely mistaking the meaning. 

“Fear of women,” Ella corrected.  “And hospitals are almost solely staffed by women.” 

“Oh…then…why is he not…freaking right now?” 

 _Good question._   Ella thought.  Then she saw the bumps on his head.  “Head trauma…,” She said quietly.  “Rena, get the first aid kit and an ice pack.  We need to do what we can for him.” 

Rena nodded and ran off to do as requested, while Ella stayed by his side.  _What happened to you?_ She wondered as she gently stroked his neck.  It did not escape her notice that most of his injures seemed defensive in nature, which suggested that he was trying to protect himself from someone.  _A woman must have done this._   Ella concluded, knowing the war veteran would not just stand there letting someone beat on him otherwise. 

“Gala…,” He muttered incoherently.  “Why do you hurt me….I have done nothing to you….no…please…don’t hurt me!  Leave me alone!”  He started to thrash about weakly. 

 _Memories…he is remembering past torment by this person…_ Ella thought, stroking his head.  “Rtas…,” She said to him softly.  “It is alright…you are safe.  She is not here and cannot hurt you now.  You do not need to be afraid.”  It seemed to work, as he calmed down and stopped thrashing.  

Rena returned then with the first aid kit and the ice pack, which Ella quickly put on Rtas’ head.  As they tended to what injuries they could, they both realized he needed more help then what they could provide.  “He needs a doctor,” Ella said, defeated.  “Rena, I am going to call the Arbiter, he may know how to contact one of the medics from the _Shadow of Intent_.” 

“How by the Rings did you get the _Arbiter’s_ personal number?” 

“He is one of my repeat clients,” Ella replied calmly.  “He comes in under an alias to keep from being bothered by people.” 

“Huh, smart…so why did you not pick _him_ up?” 

“Just keep an eye on Rtas.” Ella snapped, not in the mood for her teasing as she went over to the comm console.  Within moments, she had the Arbiter on the line. 

 _-Ella?-_   The Arbiter sounded a bit surprised. _–Calling me to see if I am talking care of my hooves?-_  

“I wish it was that your Excellence,” Ella said grimly.  “I need your help.” 

The Arbiter’s tone immediately became more serious.  _–What is it?-_   He asked. 

“It is Rtas,” She replied.  “Someone has attacked him, left him badly injured and he refuses to go to a hospital,” Ella did not know if the Arbiter knew about Rtas’ phobia or not, so decided not to take any chances.  “I was hoping you knew how to contact one of the medics off his ship as a compromise.” 

There was a long pause as the Arbiter apparently thought a moment, though Ella would not be surprised if he was also trying to keep his temper in control.  _–I do, but it will take time for them to arrive.  How bad is he hurt?-_   He said finally, Ella noticing a slight angry tone to his voice. 

“Likely head trauma and a possible broken arm,” Ella replied.  “That is what Rena and I think anyway, but we are not medics.” 

 _-I will make a couple of calls.  Then I will be right over there.-_  

“Thank you, Excellency.” 

The line went dead.  Ella sighed wearily and returned to Rtas side.  “Any change in his condition?” She asked. 

“Not as far as I can tell,” Rena replied.  “He is just resting comfortingly, well as comfortable as you can be on a hard floor….” 

“We should probably try to move him away from the door,” Ella said.  “The Arbiter is coming as soon as he gets in contact with one of the _Shadow of Intent’s_ medics.” 

“I do not think it is a good idea to move him…,” Rena countered.  “We do not know what other injuries he may have.” 

“You have a point,” Ella gritted her mandibles:  she hated feeling helpless like this.  With nothing else to do she checked his vitals, which were strong and, as far as she could tell, was normal. Unfortunately, she could not remember if it was a good idea to let a head trauma victim to drift off, which Rtas seemed to be doing.  She decided to err on the side of caution.  “Rtas, you still with us?” 

“Ugh…,” Came a weak response.  “My head hurts….” 

“I know it does,” She told him softly, stroking his neck.  “But you need to stay awake and with us ok?” 

“But daddy…I am still sleepy…five more minutes….” 

“Boy is he out of it….”  Rena muttered. 

 _At least he is recalling_ good _memories now,_ Ella thought.  _Oh Rtas…will this be the only way I can get this close to you?_  

The door behind them opened and the Arbiter came in, dressed in civilian attire.  “How is he?”  He asked. 

“Incoherent,” Ella replied.  “Though…if I was smacked on the head a few times I probably would be as well.” 

The Arbiter growled faintly.  “Who did this?” 

“We do not know,” Ella said sadly.  “He was muttering about someone named ‘Gala’ earlier though.” 

The Arbiter seemed to recoil in surprise.  “Nurse Gala?” 

“Could be any one of the ‘Gala’s’ that are in the city,” Ella said with a shrug.  “But if it is the same person, that is even more reason we cannot risk taking him to a hospital.” 

The Arbiter gave her look.  “You know about his…?” 

“I figured it out on my own. I was studying psychology once remember?” 

“Ah yes, that is right,” The Arbiter knelt down beside Rtas and took a look at his condition himself.  Ella and Rena gave him room to do so, knowing that, due to his combat experience, he would be better able to assess his injures then they could.  “Other then what you told me over the comm, there does not seem to be any injuries besides a lot of bruising. The medic should be here shortly.” 

“Arbiter…is that you?”  Rtas asked weakly. 

“Yes brother, it is me.” The Arbiter replied, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

“I…I must apologize…brother…I could not…keep…my promise…,” Rtas muttered as he attempted to lift his head to focus on him.  “I…missed my flight…” 

“It was through no fault of your own.  Do not worry about it,” The Arbiter coaxed him to lay his head down again.  “Rest, but do not sleep: we need you to stay awake.” 

“But daddy…I am sleepy….” 

“He said something like that earlier…,” Ella told him when she saw him blink in mild surprise. “He seems to be reliving memories, both good and bad, due to this.  Fortunately it has been mostly good memories so far…” 

“Still…whomever did this…if it is the same Gala…I will…,” Before he could finish the door opened and one of the medics from the _Shadow of Intent_ walked in, carrying a hefty med kit.  “That was faster then I expected.” He remarked. 

“I happened to be in the city,” The medic replied as he opened his kit and removed a portable scanner.  They gave the medic space and watched as he scanned the Shipmaster’s entire body.  “Looks like what you told me over the comm is indeed all there really is on the serious side,” He said, Ella breathing a sigh of relief.  “There is a hairline fracture on his right forearm and a couple of his fingers are dislocated.  No signs of cracking or breaks on his skull, though there is sufficient soft tissue damage there.  A couple of ribs in the lower right ribcage appear to have been bruised as well.  How are you feeling Shipmaster?  Any place else hurting that I may have missed?” 

“Head…hurts…”  Rtas mumbled. 

“Besides that.” 

Rtas took a visible effort to think a moment.  “No…” 

The medic took a small light.  “Alright, look at me and try not to blink.”  Rtas did so with some effort and after a moment he let him put his head back down.  “Appears to be normal, has he been saying any thing weird?” 

“Besides appearing to be reliving parts of his past?  No.”  Ella replied. 

He looked slightly concerned about that.  “If he is still doing that after a day cycle, I need to know,” The medic said.  After they nodded in acknowledgement he took out a medical injector.  “Shipmaster, you are going to feel a slight sting.  It is only an anesthetic,” After Rtas nodded in acknowledgement he pressed the device against his upper arm and activated it.  There was a faint hiss as the anesthetic was injected into his bloodstream.  After a moment, Rtas was out cold and he got to work putting his fingers back into proper place and putting a cast on his arm.  “Alright, all he should need is a few days rest for the head trauma,” He said after he was finished.  “Keep an ice pack on his head for a day cycle.  I would rather he stay someplace were someone can keep an eye on him, as I know he lives alone.” 

“I would take him, but unfortunately I have a guest staying over for an uncertain amount of time.”  The Arbiter said regretfully. 

“I have space,” Ella said.  “I live right upstairs.” 

“I heard about your father Ella,” The Arbiter said, looking concerned.  “You sure you would be able to handle this responsibility with so much on your plate already?” 

Ella thought a moment and then nodded.  “I am sure Arbiter,” She replied.  “I was planning on keeping the shop closed while I get things straightened out and hire more help anyway, so I will have the time to spare to keep an eye on him.  Besides…,” She leaned in close to him and lowered her voice to a whisper.  “I may be able to help him with this _other_ problem, at least get him started anyway…” 

The Arbiter looked doubtful.  “Risky Ella, you never finished your courses and you could do more damage than good.” He warned her. 

“I will get advice from my old professor,” She assured him.  “I know better then to do this on my own.” 

“Very well then, I hope you know what you are doing.” 

“So do I….”


	16. Training

The Arbiter struck the bag again and again, using it as a means of working out his frustrations over what happened last night.  He badly wanted to hunt down the one that had hurt Rtas, finding it very cowardly that this individual used his fear to beat him senseless.  All he had was a first name, though, and that name could belong to any number of Sangheili.  The only one that knew the assailant’s identity was Rtas himself and for now he won’t be in any condition to talk about it. 

“Good to see you finally using that thing,” He heard Vl’asuna say behind him.  “I thought you said you did not trust it?” 

“It was a gift from Johnson,” The Arbiter grumbled as he punched it again.  “Can you blame me for not trusting it?  Only reason I am using it now is because I need something…physical…to vent on.” 

“Ah yes…Rtas…,” The Lipor muttered, the Arbiter having told her about the situation when he returned home.  “Now he will be even more reluctant to get help….” 

“Ella said she was going to try to help him,” The Arbiter said with a sigh.  “How successful she will be though, only time will tell.”  He kicked the bag, sending it flying, only for it to come back at him just as quickly.  Before he could react it slammed into him, knocking him onto his ass.  “Infernal thing…,” He grumbled.  “Knew I could not trust it.  Next time I see Johnson I am going to shove it up his ass!” 

A curious sound interrupted him.  Turning, he saw Vl’asuna trying her best not to laugh, but she wasn’t the source of the sound.  It was Sari…she was laughing.  He hadn’t even known she was watching him and her laughter was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.  Beside himself, he smiled. 

“It…it is…hard to believe…,” She said, gasping for breath.  “That the noble Arbiter…could be so easily…defeated by such a simple thing.” 

He chuckled and walked up to her.  “Would you like to try your luck against it then?”  He asked teasingly. 

“Um….no thank you….”  Sari said, her mirth evaporating. 

“Why not?”  He insisted.  “I did offer to teach you how to defend yourself and this is the perfect opportunity to start.” 

“I…do not know….”  Sari said, eyeing the bag warily. 

The Arbiter walked back over to the bag, walked behind it and held it in place.  “Go ahead,” He said reassuringly.  “Hit it.  I will ensure it does not come back to bite you like it did with me.”  Sari cautiously approached the bag and looked at it, looking unsure.  

“I…do not see a reason to…,” She said softly.  “It is an inanimate object...not an enemy.” 

The Arbiter clicked his mandibles, trying to be patient.  “Inanimate objects are the best things to practice on before you face an actual opponent.  Imagine it is someone you…dislike,” He advised.  “When I am practicing I pretend I am fighting a brute…or sometimes if I am particularly not liking someone at the moment I pretend I am hitting them.  Like one of those annoying Councilors…” 

She giggled briefly at that and then adopted a look of deep thought.  He watched as she closed her eyes and clenched her fists.  Then she started to tremble and the Arbiter started to wonder if this was turning out to be a bad idea.  Suddenly she lashed out with a fist, slamming it into the bag with a yell of fury that surprised him, followed by a yelp of pain as she shook her hand. 

“You alright?” He asked as he moved to her and looked at her hand: a minor abrasion but that was all from what he could see. 

“I did it wrong…” She said, hanging her head. 

“No,” He told her.  “Your execution of the blow was well done, you just need practice.” 

“Really?”  She said, looking up at him. 

He nodded.  “It may benefit you better, however, if you concentrated less on how hard you hit and more on _where_ you hit.” 

“I do not understand.” 

“A quick series of precise light blows can be just as damaging, if not more so, then a single hard one,” He explained.  “Especially if you hit a vital area, like the neck or pressure points.” 

“But the bag has none of those.” Sari pointed out. 

“You are right…,” He agreed, looking at the thing with disgust.  “It is useless for that.  Very well then…practice on me.” 

Sari took a step back in shock.  “But…I…do not want to hurt you….” 

“Slow punches with no force behind them and you will not hurt me,” He told her. “I will show you were to hit,” He tapped a point on his right shoulder.  “Here first.” 

She hesitated and then lightly punched him where he indicated.  Before she could retract her arm, he caught it and gently repositioned her thumbs.  “Keep the thumbs tucked under the fist,” He told her.  “Otherwise you may risk injuring them when you connect with your opponent,” He released her hand then said.  “Again.” 

They continued this for the next half hour, the Arbiter changing strike locations after every few punches.  He noticed as time went on Sari became less hesitant in punching him and had started to add a bit of force to her blows.  Not enough to hurt him really, but he did have to remind her to take it easy: he did not want to end up having to explain to his comrades why he was a bit bruised up. 

“That is enough for the day,” He told her.  “I do not want to exhaust you on the first session.  You did well.” 

Sari’s face turned a shade of purple and she looked away.  “Tha…thank you…”  She said quietly. 

\-- 

Ella walked into her father’s old room, pausing briefly at the threshold when she saw Rtas in the bed, still sleeping soundly.  She sighed heavily, feeling the sorrow of her recent loss surface again and wondered if she really did do something like this too soon.  _Too late to back out of it now._   She told herself as she approached the bed cautiously, not wanting to disturb the sleeping Shipmaster. 

The Arbiter had carried Rtas up here by himself, despite offers from the medic, Rena and Ella herself to assist.  He had told them that Rtas had carried him once when he was critically injured by a sniper on Cairo Station; sprinting half way across the station to get him to an infirmary, so he felt it was only fitting he return the favor at least once.  It must have been an impressive feat on Rtas part, since they were both in their armor at the time; though she wasn’t sure if the Arbiter was exaggerating just slightly on the distance Rtas carried him. 

Rtas hadn’t really moved much since the Arbiter put him there, save for some slight shifting of his legs and head.  The ice pack she had lightly tied onto his head last night needed to be replaced, which was what she was in here for.  After setting the replacement on the nightstand, she carefully started to untie the gauze she used to secure the ice pack, and then she removed the old ice pack itself. 

Suddenly the hand that had removed the ice pack was seized in an iron grip, causing her to gasp in surprise.  Rtas was awake, his yellow eyes glaring at her, but whatever annoyance or anger he felt quickly faded and was replaced by fear when he realized just who he had grabbed.  Ella knew she had to act quickly before he went into a full panic attack. 

“It is ok Rtas…,” She told him softly, keeping her tone gentle as she knelt down to make herself look even less threatening to him.  “I am not here to hurt you,” Ella winced as he gripped her wrist even tighter out of fear reflex, mildly surprised that he hadn’t let go.  She didn’t dare try to pry his hand off however, as per her professor’s advice _he_ had to believe he was in control.  This mean she could not do anything he may deem threatening to himself.  “I was just going to replace the ice pack.” She explained, nodding at the pack on the night stand. 

He looked in that direction briefly and then she felt and saw him tease up even more when he seemed to suddenly realize he was in an unfamiliar place.  She watched for a moment as he started to look frantically around, starting to panic.  “You staggered into my shop last night,” She explained, trying to ease his fears.  “And the Arbiter carried you up here to my home after we determined the extent of your injuries.  We knew we could not take you to a hospital, because of your phobia.” 

Rtas was looking at her again, the fear still in his eyes but she saw a faint questioning look in them as well.  “After you ran out of my shop like you did the other day, I figured it out,” She told him.  “I used to study psychology, so I know the signs of a phobia.  Can you…let go please?” 

He looked at the hand that was gripping her wrist for a moment and then let go.  Ella rubbed that wrist gratefully as she backed away to give him some space and briefly wondered if she was going to get a bruise there later. Rtas was again glancing around the room, uncertainty and fear in his eyes.  “You are free to leave anytime you like,” She told him, despite the medic saying specifically that he should stay put for a few days, however she knew it was important that he did not feel trapped.  “I want you to keep in mind that I want to help you defeat your fear, but I know you have to _want_ me to help you.” 

She saw doubt in his eyes, along with fear, uncertainty and simple hopelessness: he didn’t believe he could be cured.  “All phobias can be overcome,” She assured him.  “It just takes time and many small steps.  I am going to leave now,” She slowly stood up, noting how Rtas was watching her every move.  “If you need anything, you can use the console there,” She nodded in the direction of the console on the right side of the bed.  He looked at it briefly and then stared right back at her.  “Remember, I just want to help you, but you need to want me to help.” 

Ella carefully turned and slowly walked out the door.  As the door closed behind her, she could have sworn she heard a faint ‘thank you’. 

\-- 

A short time later Sari entered the hot tub room, wearing a bathrobe.  Cautiously she tested the water, uncertain if she should slip in as she had never been in a hot tub before, but more uncertain on what had just occurred.  _Why is he doing this?_ She asked herself.  _What does he see in me?_ It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate what he was trying to do, it’s just that it confused her as to his reasons behind it.  Was he doing it to spite her father?  Or because he truly cared about her?  Maybe a mix of both?  It was too much to think about right now, so she took off the bath robe and started to slip into the water. 

The water felt good, the heat soothing away the soreness in her muscles.  She thought back to when she was watching him practice, remembering how fine he looked.  He had been only wearing a pair of pants and she could see every toned muscle in his back.  After he had turned toward her, she couldn’t help but admire the front part of his torso as well and she had found it very hard not to get distracted by his figure during the training session.  _Such a handsome man…,_ She thought.  _It makes me wonder why he has not been taken yet._  

The door behind her opened and she turned to see the Arbiter enter, with only a towel as attire.  When he saw her the two stared at each other in stunned silence.  Sari felt the blood rush to her face as she quickly jumped out and covered herself.  “I am sorry!  She said, feeling like she just did the worse thing she could have possibly done as she started to run out. 

“No no….,” The Arbiter told her, stopping her.  “I am the one that should apologize:  I should have checked to see if you were in here first before barging in.” 

“But…but….” 

“It is alright…you can use it first.” 

“You…you are sure?”  She asked, trembling. 

“Yes…I am sure,” He said confidently.  “I can wait.  You need it more then I do anyway after…” He suddenly stopped short, a look of shock on his face. 

“What is it?”  She asked. 

“Um…,” His face started to darken considerably.  “Do not look down…please….” 

“Huh?”  She asked, confused. 

“Just do not…,” He turned around stiffly and then suddenly bellowed as he ran off.  “’Mura!  If you do not give me back my towel this instant….!” 

“Oh…my….”  Sari flushed again when it dawned on her _and_ when she got a nice view of his posterior.  That sneaky Lipor had snuck up behind him and stole his towel right off his waist.  _Nice ass…_   She thought, grinning like a silly little girl.


	17. Warning

Hyso couldn’t believe his good fortune. The information on the female the Arbiter had helped had just come in and his long shot had turned into a gold mine. _The daughter of Kesi ‘Musav…,_ He thought with a grin: the fact that the information included a label stating that she was disowned by her father didn’t matter to him at all. _Would not the public just love to hear about how their precious Arbiter was helping the enemy?  Does he even know she is related to his worst enemy?_   

Even better, was the reports he got elsewhere on how the Arbiter seemed to continue to keep in touch with her, perhaps even sheltering her himself. The complaint from a Zealot recently seemed to not only support this possibility, but also that the Arbiter seemed quite protective of her, affectionate even. Oh the fun he could have with this information, but what was the best way to use it against him? 

He leaned back in his chair and started thinking up the possibilities… 

\-- 

The Arbiter had been trying to put the little ‘hot tub’ incident out of his mind, but it kept resurfacing in his head. This was especially so whenever he saw Sari, whom seemed to have a permanent silly smile on her face ever since then, or Vl’asuna, whom had been avoiding him for obvious reasons. It had been very embarrassing for two reasons: one that he saw more of her then he was ready for and the other was that he wasn’t sure just how much of _him_ she got an eyeful of. By that smile on her face, she got an eyeful of some part of his anatomy she shouldn’t have, not yet at least. 

 _At least…it gives me a better idea of how old she is,_ He thought as he sank down onto the couch.  _A female that was not at least an adolescent would not have reacted that way._   It made him feel slightly better about how he felt about her, but not by much as he could be wrong in that assessment. 

“Still sore about my prank?”  Vl’asuna said cautiously, poking her head around the couch to look up at him. 

The Arbiter looked down at her and growled slightly. “You had to choose _then_ to do it…” He growled. 

“Oh come on…you have a nice body…,” Vl’asuna teased.  “And I know how you feel about her, so why not help you ‘show yourself off’?” 

“’Mura…I am not certain how _old_ she is!” He pointed out. “If she is a minor it would be very inappropriate to _display_ myself in such a manner!” 

The Lipor frowned. “Why not ask her then?” 

“Do you know how dangerous asking such a question can be?” 

“I thought that was just with weight….” 

“Women can be sensitive about their age as well.” The Arbiter grumbled. 

“Fine Mr. Wuss I will ask her for you,” He watched as the Lipor walked off to the kitchen, where Sari was cleaning the dishes they used for dinner. The Arbiter tried to make out the conversation that followed, but could not. After a moment Vl’asuna came back, a smile on her face.  “Have no fear dear Azu. She is the equivalent of a human in their twentieth year.” 

He did the necessary calculations in his head to convert the human time table to the Sangheili one:  why couldn’t Vl’asuna just tell him in Sangheili years?  When he was done he breathed a sigh of relief. While Sari was still young compared to him, she was a fully mature adult regardless, which meant he _could_ take her as a mate if he wanted to with no social repercussions. 

 _But not now…_ He reminded himself, remembering that she still had a while to go to heal mentally.  The question that worried him the most, however, was whether or not she would develop feelings for him as strong as his was for her.  Only time will tell. 

The door chime sounded, alerting him to the presence of someone at his door.  With a sigh, he rose to his feet to answer it and when he opened the door he saw an older man dressed in simple clothing.  “Forgive me for intruding on your private residence your Excellence,” The man said.  “But I have something important to talk to you about.” 

The Arbiter sighed faintly and motioned for the man to come in: even in his own home he could not escape his duties. “What is it?” He asked. 

“Elder Councilor ‘Malic….”  The man replied quietly, looking slightly ashamed. 

“What about him?  Did he finally pass on?”  The Arbiter could only wish that were so. 

“Unfortunately not only is he still kicking but he seems to have it in for you, Excellency.” 

“Tell me something I do not know.” He grumbled. 

“Recently he called in a favor I owed him,” The man explained.  “To gather information on an individual you helped over a week ago. I knew he was on a witch hunt, digging for any information he can find to use against you, but unfortunately I could not hide the information I uncovered on her.” 

The Arbiter groaned, rubbing his head with one hand as he realized what this all could mean.  “So ‘Malic knows Sari’s full identity….” 

“I am afraid so Excellency,” The man said with a sigh.  “Excuse me for being frank Arbiter, but I feel he is trying to discredit you and cause the public to lose faith in you, perhaps even to the point of removing you from your station.  I believe he fears you are a threat to his power.” 

“That would certainly explain a lot,” The Arbiter growled.  “However, he seems to forget that the only way one can be removed from the position of the Arbiter is death.” 

“Let us pray he does not remember it then.” The man said warily.  

“Arbiter…who is this?”  He heard Sari say as she came out of the kitchen.  The Arbiter saw the man recoil in faint surprise. 

“A concerned citizen.”  He told her. 

“So the rumors are true…” The man said. 

“What rumors?” The Arbiter asked. 

“That you were sheltering and protecting her,” The man replied. “Word of the incident at the market the other day has spread through out the city.  No doubt word has reached ‘Malic as well.” 

The Arbiter winced at that: that old coot would have a field day with such information. Sari looked confused. “What is going on?” She asked. 

He wasn’t sure how to answer her.  On the one hand he didn’t want to lie to her, on the other he knew the knowledge of someone as high as an Elder Councilor knowing about her and that she was staying with him would worry her. “Politics Sari,” He finally said. “Normal…backstabbing politics….” 

“Oh….”  Was her only reply and she disappeared back into the kitchen, apparently getting the hint that the conversation was not for her ears. 

“At any rate, Excellency, I figured it would be best to warn you about this,” The man said with a sigh. “I do not know how you will be able to counter anything he tries to do with this information.” 

“He may have her full name, but he does not know about her past,” The Arbiter growled. “If I have to reveal it so he cannot turn the public against me, then I will do so. I appreciate you warning me.” 

“No problem at all Arbiter,” The man bowed respectfully. “I pray things turn out well.” 

After the man left he sank on the couch again, his heart feeling heavy as the implications of this knowledge hit him in full. ‘Malic could twist the information he had any way he wanted and the Arbiter knew he could not counter it effectively without knowing how he was going to try to use it against him. He will be forced to wait until ‘Malic made his move and realized it may be too late when he does so. 

He sighed heavily, knowing now that there were bigger things to worry about then whether or not Sari got a view of his naked ass…. 

\-- 

Rtas lay in bed, thinking.  He was still getting used to the idea of being in a strange house: a woman’s house on top of that.  While Ella assured him that he could leave at any time, he knew deep in his hearts that it would be best not to, as this could be his only chance at getting help for his problem.  This was especially so since it was clear to him that Gala wanted him dead and had obviously been waiting for him to be out and about without his armor and thus at his most vulnerable. 

Ella herself was doing her best not to make him uncomfortable with her presence, only coming into the room when needed.  When she did come into the room she was making herself as non-threatening as possible, letting him control within reason what she did.  He honestly never met such a woman in his life, though that wasn’t too hard to do considering his phobia.  It was certainly comforting to know that she understood his phobia and did not ridicule him for it:  instead she stated she wanted to help him defeat it.  He sighed, not sure how she would be able to do so.  She wasn’t a certified psychologist, though she, by her word, had been training to become one at one time.  

Rtas had wondered where Teko was, having noticed his absence in the home.  He had attempted to ask Ella when she was in the room once, but the words had frozen in his throat, his phobia preventing him from speaking.  The Shipmaster tried again using the console and he found it much easier there, however the answer he got saddened him:  Teko had passed away the night before last.  _Yet…even in her grief she wants to help me._   He thought, finding it rather noble of her to take on such a difficult task during such a difficult time for her.  It had to be hard on her, seeing him in this bed instead of her father, yet he saw no sign of regret in her eyes for her decision. 

With a sigh he looked at the plate of half eaten food on the night stand.  It wasn’t that he wasn’t hungry, but with his disfigurement it was a little harder for him to eat normal food then other Sangheili, having to rely more on his _origua_ to get the food down his throat.  He had tried to eat the _normal_ way once, back when he first got the disfigurement, only to catapult the morsel half way across the room when he jerked his head up to swallow: fortunately no one else had been in the room to witness that embarrassing event. 

The other reason he didn’t finish his meal was because his head still felt like it had a squad of berserk Brutes running around in it, which made eating even more of a chore.  The ice pack was helping somewhat, but he really wanted some painkillers, which he forgot to ask for some before Ella turned in for the night.  Not wanting to disturb her, he carefully got out of bed and put on the bathrobe Ella left out for him the best he could with one arm in a cast. 

It took a while for him to find what he was looking for due to being unfamiliar with the home and not knowing where Ella would keep such medicines.  Once he found the supply of pain meds he quickly took some, being careful not to overdose himself.  He sighed with relief as the fast acting medicine started to take effect and the rampaging Brutes in his head started to calm down.  Now came the task of finding his way back to his own room. 

His unfamiliarity with the home quickly found him ending up in Ella’s room, where Ella was sleeping soundly.  Rtas stood there, watching her sleep, feeling his desires rise to the surface.  He badly wanted to have a family of his own, to carry on his father’s legacy and his own.  It was something that had been nagging at him ever since the war ended, a desire he feared he could never fulfill due to his phobia. 

However, if she was a really heavy sleeper, perhaps he could…  _No!_   He told himself before he could complete the thought.  _No matter how shameful my condition is…I will not allow myself to resort to such measures!_   Quietly he sat down beside her bed, still watching her, admiring her even.  _You want to help me…that much is clear…and I want to be helped.  But…,_ He sighed, a tear rolling down his cheek.  _I am not sure if I_ can _be helped this late in my life…_  

He leaned against the bed and rested his head on the edge of her pillow.  With another sigh he closed his eyes and dreamed of what his life would be like without this phobia…


	18. Dilemma

Sari had trouble sleeping last night.  While she had not heard the entire conversation between the Arbiter and the visitor, she heard enough.  Apparently people in high places knew about her now, people that would not understand her situation or likely cared at any rate.  This meant that the Arbiter was at risk of getting some serious flack, possibly even lose his status. 

 _Because of me…_   She thought sadly as she exited her room after getting dressed.  He had told her he didn’t care what others thought of them and to not worry about it.  _But I care…,_   Sari could not help but think that soon she will be separated from him in some shape or form and the thought tore at her heart.  _He has been so good to me…like a father I wish I had.  If I lose him…._   Yet the thought of him suffering in any way because of her ‘relation’ to Kesi hurt even worse, putting her in a bit of a dilemma. 

Should she stay in this place where she knew she was safe and with someone that actually cared about her or leave to protect the man that had come to mean so much to her? 

“Sari?”  The Arbiter’s voice broke her thoughts.  “Are you ready for your next lesson?” 

“Yes.”  Sari replied as she pushed the debate to the back of her mind, reluctant to think more on it and knowing she could not afford to be distracted.  Plus it would not do if the Arbiter figured out something was wrong:  despite how much she trusted him, she feared how he would react if he discovered what was going through her mind…. 

\-- 

Ella stretched as she awakened; grateful she had a good nights rest.  Yesterday had been a long day, both due to the care she had to take when tending to Rtas and all the things she had to rearrange for her father’s funeral.  Thankfully the latter had been completely taken care of, with only the funeral itself to worry about and now she could concentrate on Rtas’ care. 

As she started to rise she thought she heard someone lightly snoring.  Turning to look in the direction of the source, she gasped in surprise when she saw Rtas there.  _Oh Rtas…_   She thought as she gazed down at him:  he was leaning against her bed, his head resting on the very edge of her pillow.  

Ella knew this could mean several things.  One was that he was desperate to be _normal_ and rid of his phobia.  Another was that his phobia was not so severe that he had difficulty being in the same room with a woman.  That last point was important and she took out the data module she kept in her night stand to make note of it.  

Her professor had told her to make notes of any thing significant and to forward to her so she could help treat the Shipmaster from afar.  One of the things she told her to take note of was the boundaries of his phobia, meaning what were the actual triggers.  This was proof that being the same room with a woman was not enough to trigger his phobia and that an actual interaction had to occur.  

Next to work out was what level of interaction were the least uncomfortable for him.  She got some clues of this yesterday, where he apparently tried to communicate with her vocally while she was in the room.  However this seemed to contradict how he reacted the day she first figured out he had the phobia, where he was actually able to talk.  Ella made sure to include that observation along with the theory that his decreased ability to communicate could be due to being in a strange home, or possibility due to the assault.  She also included that he seemed to have a better time of communicating with her by using the console system. 

After she was done, she forwarded the information to her Professor and then put the data module away.  In a way she felt a bit guilty about treating him kind of like a lab specimen, but it could not be helped right now, not until they made some progress in treating him.  With a sigh Ella finally slipped out of bed and put on a robe. 

Ella then walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a blanket.  After gently setting the blanket over him, she stood back and watched him for a moment.  She wondered what really caused him to come into her room like this.  Did he get lost in the house and end up in here by accident or was it something else entirely?  Knowing she probably won’t find out the answer, she left the room to see about making breakfast. 

On the way she noticed that her medicine cabinet had been disturbed and when she checked the contents she found that some of her pain medication was missing.  At once she realized she had forgotten that his head trauma likely would have left him with a rather nasty headache.  _Poor man probably could not sleep because of it._   She thought, feeling guilty that she had not thought of it.  It also gave support to the theory that he had gotten lost while trying to go back to his own room.  Yet if that was the case, why not just turn around and leave? 

A disturbing possibility came to mind, one that made her shudder.  Could it be he was desperate for a family and was tempted to take advantage of her while she slept?  She was willing to have his children yes, but she would rather it be consensual on both sides!  _I think I will lock my door at night for now on just in case…_   Ella thought. 

\-- 

Rtas was awakened to the smell of breakfast cooking.  Briefly he was confused on where he was and jumped to his feet when it dawned on him.  _Oh dear gods did I…_ He thought, fearing he may have acted on his desires without realizing it.  After a moment of thought he determined that he hadn’t, supported by the fact that he was still in one piece and that Ella had covered him with a blanket when she awakened. 

His sudden moment however had upset the Brutes in his head and already he could feel the headache starting to get worse.  With a groan he walked out of the bedroom and started hunting for the medicine cabinet.  On the way he literally bumped into Ella. 

“Gah!”  He screamed, jumping back and nearly tripping over his hooves.  Ella herself seemed startled by his sudden appearance, though he could only stare at her wide eyed as his phobia took full hold of him. 

“You are awake,”  Ella said softly once she had recovered.  “Good.  I made breakfast.  Are you hungry?” 

Like yesterday he noted she made sure her movements were non-threatening, which calmed him down somewhat.  Still, he could only manage a slight nod in response.  Shakily, he also pointed in the direction of the medicine cabinet, indicating what else he needed. 

“Ah,”  She said, understanding.  “I will get some for you.  Go ahead and help yourself to breakfast in the meantime.”  Ella moved out of his way to allow him into the dinning room.  Rtas hesitated a moment, watching her warily.  Finally he was able to will his body to move and he made his way to the dinning room, where he found a couple of plates of food on the table. 

He sat down in front of one, but covered his head with a wince as the Brutes in his head were now in full berserk mode again.  Fortunately Ella came in with the pain medication and put them on the table close enough for him to reach, but not so close that it made him uncomfortable.  He quickly snatched the medication up, consumed them and waited the couple of minutes for it to take affect. 

“I apologize,” He heard Ella say. Rtas looked up at her, noting the faint guilty look on her face.  “I did not think about the pain you may have been in yesterday and did not think about providing pain killers.” 

 _Do not blame yourself…_ He wanted to say, but the words died in his mind and did not even start the journey to his mouth.  All he could do was shake his head and focus on eating, hating the feeling of not being able to communicate with her _properly_ due to this phobia.  

Ella said nothing more he noticed, concentrating on eating her own meal.  However he did notice she was watching him, observing him:  it made him feel slightly uneasy.  “Must…you….”   He blurted out, but was unable to finish the question. 

She looked up at him fully, a puzzled look on her face.  Then it must have dawned on her as she sighed and said.  “I am sorry, I did not know I was making you uncomfortable by watching you so,”  After a moment she added.  “But please understand that in order for me to help you I need to observe you, to see what the boundaries of your phobia are.  Once that is determined we can start treatment.” 

“We?”  Rtas managed to ask, raising one brow. 

“Since I am not a fully trained psychologist I cannot treat you by myself,” She explained, hanging her head.  “One of my old professors is helping me remotely with this.” 

“O,.”  She really was serious about helping him and one part of him was relieved while another part was simply terrified.  He knew that eventually she would need to know about his past, a past he was not eager to revisit.  “I…I…do…n…not….know….”  He stuttered. 

“Do not worry, we will not be trying to rush you into things,”  Ella said reassuringly.  “I know the underlying reasons for a phobia can be traumatic and painful, so we will not be asking you about it right away.  This will be on your own pace and only when you are ready for it.  You have my word.” 

To that he simply nodded. 

\-- 

Before he started her lesson the Arbiter put Sari through some warm up exercises.  He also made the mental note to see about getting her some more training appropriate clothing, for now though they had to make do with what they had.  After the warm up he tested her on how much she recalled from yesterdays lesson:  she remembered everything but a couple of pressure points, which was impressive. 

The Arbiter had her repeat the lesson of yesterday, not adding any more moves into the mix just yet.  Like yesterday, he wasn’t going to work her too hard yet, though this time it was primarily because neither of them had eaten anything yet.  “That is enough for now,” He told her after about an hour.  “We will have another lesson this afternoon.” 

He watched as she slowly nodded and headed to her room to shower.  The Arbiter could tell by the look in her eyes that something was on her mind.  _How much of that conversation did she overhear?_   He thought with a frown.  If she overheard just enough, she may start worrying about what consequences they may face.  Perhaps she even worried that she would be taken away from him, away from the only person that cared about her.  The thought of losing her made his blood boil and determined to ensure that did not happen.  _I will not let them take you away._   He thought, then shook his head to clear his mind. 

Yes, the risk of them taking her away from him was one of many possibilities ‘Malic could attempt.  It was also one of the worse things in his mind, along with them attempting to try her for her father’s crimes, which would be ironic considering it was the Council itself that was dragging its feet on capturing Kesi.  Yet the mere thought of losing her in any way hurt worse then anything he had felt before.  The Arbiter got the sickening realization that in order to protect them both, he had to make certain ‘Malic did not find out just how much he loved her….


	19. Something Different

Captain Wilson tapped impatiently on the console, grumbling under his breath for the fifth time on how Elite workstations were just too big. He dare not gripe about it within earshot of the few Elites that were on board however, as he’d rather not risk insulting their allies.  The crew of the _Material Reserve_ was a mix of human and Elite, mostly because the ship was of Elite make and was on loan to the UNSC since most of the human supply ships were destroyed in the war. Plus the two sides felt it would be a good idea for both species to get used to working together and on each other’s ships, to help bolster their alliance. 

 _Yet the Elite Council is obviously dragging their feet on apprehending that damn pirate._   Wilson thought bitterly.  Both Elite and human ships had been hit hard by that pirate Kesi and yet the Elite Council seemed reluctant to do anything about him.  It was a damn miracle the Arbiter was able to get escort ships assigned to the supply ships, though that just made Kesi more choosey on his targets. 

The Captain, hell, most of humanity greatly respected the Arbiter, for if he had not convinced his people to ally with them humanity would be extinct.  Yet despite his considerable power politically, the Arbiter was not above the Elite Council.  He suspected the Arbiter was getting stonewalled from having any further action taken against the pirate.  Wilson heard that the UNSC was considering sending their own Ambassador to Sangheilios to try to help kick the Elite Council into gear if something wasn’t done soon.  However he doubted it would do any good:  politicians were all backstabbing bastards, no matter what species they were.  Hell the only one he actually _liked_ was the Arbiter and _his_ hands were tied! 

“Sir, we got a slipspace rupture off our port.”  One of the bridge crew announced. 

“Lets hope it is our damn escort.”  Wilson said warily.  They had been sitting here for the last thirty minutes waiting for their assigned escort to arrive before they could start on the mission.  As it stood right now they had no troops besides the few Elite crew to repeal a raid:  the escort usually supplied those.  If Kesi attacked now they might as well help them load the supplies for them.  _Then again, they may kill us anyway, considering their eating habits._ Wilson had heard about Kesi’s taste for human flesh, a fact that sent chills down his spine every time he thought of it. 

“It is the _Faithful Prowler_.”  The same man that spoke before announced, followed by a sigh of relief from the bridge crew.  “They are sending in Phantoms to transfer troops.” 

Wilson wanted to relax, but something wasn’t sitting right.  This uneasy feeling was magnified when he noticed one of the Elites, a Major, was working frantically on his console.  “What is it?”  He asked him. 

“Shipmaster, I am not certain…” The Elite replied, using the Elite term for a ship commander.  “But I do not believe we have a ship by that name in our fleets.  Working on confirming this.” 

He felt his stomach turn itself into a knot. _Wait…isn’t the word ‘prowler’ just another word for…_   The Captain didn’t bother finishing the thought.  “Seal the bridge and the hanger bays!  All hands prepare for battle!” He barked, his crew hastily working on their consoles to comply.  _Kesi, you bastard…got a new trick now don’t you?_   He thought as he upholstered his sidearm.  His suspicions were confirmed when the Phantoms simply blasted their way into the hangers and reports of battle started coming in. 

Yet something else was different about this.  From the reports he read, Kesi was pretty predictable on what he did, though it didn’t help them any at the time.  Board using boarding ships, use deployable covers to minimize his own casualties while providing cover for his raiders to pillage the supplies and finally make off with the supply ships Phantoms along with the boarding craft, all while the _Righteous Justice_ fended off any escort ships.  That he came in using a false ship ID suggested he was up to something.  Why did he get the feeling, though, that this was not a simple raid? 

\-- 

Meanwhile on the _Righteous Justice_ , a figure made her way toward the infirmary, feeling proud of herself.  She was an older Sangheili, but the scars all over her body made her look, and feel, much older: a result of Kesi’s treatment of her over the last couple of years.  _Has it really been two years?_   She thought, her mood dampening a bit.  _It feels like an eternity…_  

An eternity of being Kesi’s ‘stress relief’ and personal play thing, torturing and disfiguring her how ever he pleased.  It all just made her hate him even more and that hate fueled her will to live and desperation to find a way to rid herself, and the galaxy, of that man.  She did try to kill him outright once early on, in a fit of blind rage.  All that got her, though, was the loss of her left eye; all that remained of it was a heavy scar down that side of her face. 

Since then she forced herself to keep her cool and look for more…indirect…means of getting him killed.  Over the years she gradually learned the ships systems and how to hack into them, covertly and subtlety changing things to make life more difficult for Kesi and his crew.  Mostly just messing up the crew roster, making the system give individual double or even triple shifts, but today she did something much bigger then that. 

She managed to change the fake ID the ship was going to use in this latest raid from _Faithful Protector_ to _Faithful ‘Prowler’._   The switch would make the target supply ship suspicious and be on alert.  Did she expect Kesi to die during this?  Unfortunately no, as she knew the supply ship had little in the way of its own troops to repeal an invasion.  Regardless it gave her confidence that eventually she could _arrange_ things so Kesi could get killed on one of his raids. 

“And where are you going today Tala?”  A familiar voice said behind her. 

“What business is it of yours Kesi?”  She growled definitely, slightly surprised he was still on board and not leading his troops in the raid.  “Are you not supposed to be out there leading the troops?” 

“As Shipmaster I make it my business to know what the occupants of my ship are up to,” Kesi said, Tala recognizing the playful tone in his voice.  “As for my troops, I cannot hold their hand all the time,” She felt him run one finger down her back, causing her to shudder involuntarily.  “So…what _are_ …you up to?” 

“Just taking a walk.”  Tala said evenly.  In reality, she was on the way to the infirmary to warn Telo ‘Kalim that he would likely have more causalities then usual.  The poor man was a prisoner on this ship much like she was. 

“Ah…so you are not busy….”  Suddenly he grabbed her, lifting her off her feet and slinging her over his shoulder.  She noticed at once that he wasn’t wearing his armor, which clued her in on what he intended to.  _Again!?  Has he not figured out that he is sterile?_ Tala thought bitterly.  _Or does he continue to try out of denial?_  

Instead of his room though, she found herself on the bridge.  When he sat down in the command chair he forced her to sit on his lap and she growled in disgust: had he no sense of dignity!?  “How are things going?”  She heard him ask as she felt his hand start to rove. 

“Um…actually Shipmaster…,”  A Major at one of the consoles said nervously.  “They got on to us before our troops even got onboard.” 

“ _What_?”  Kesi growled.  “How!?”  

Mentally Tala grinned.  _Not in such a frisky mood now are you Kesi?_   She thought. 

“I am not sure sir,”  The Major replied quickly.  “Perhaps our Intel on the ship that was supposed to escort them was incorrect?” 

“No…the Intel was solid,”  Kesi growled.  “Check our fake ID; see if there was a system glitch.” 

After a moment the Major replied, his face pale.  “Shipmaster…the fake ID says _Faithful Prowler_!” 

Kesi stood up abruptly, throwing her off his lap, Tala having to use her arms to keep her head from banging on the table in front of her.  “So that explains it…have our troops gone on to the contingency plan?” 

 _Figures he would have a backup plan._   Tala thought, fighting to suppress a disappointed snort. 

“Yes Shipmaster,”  The Major replied.  “They have succeeded in blasting their way into the hanger bays and are in the process of making their way to the bridge.  There is something else sir:  the crew is primarily human so far according to reports.” 

Looking up at him Tala saw a familiar grin on his face, a shudder of revolution coursing through her body as she knew what he was going to do.  “Well then, two sticks with one stone today, what luck!”  Kesi said, his mood brightening.  “Our stores were getting low.  Instruct the troops to incapacitate but not kill, when possible, the humans.  The ones that survive we will keep…fresh…in the brig and the dead ones we will freeze for later consumption.  They know the drill for the Sangheili.” 

“As you command Shipmaster.” 

“When this is over run a systems check for any faults in the system.” 

“Yes Shipmaster.” 

During this time Tala was trying to crawl away, only for a heavy foot to pin her in place.  “Where are you going Tala?”  Kesi said, the playful tone back in his voice.  “I am not done with you yet….” 

Tala shuddered:  she’d rather be beaten to near death than to be raped in front of the crew…. 

\-- 

It was evening and the Arbiter hadn’t seen Sari since dinner.  Slightly worried, he went to find out what she was up to; fearing what she may have overheard the other day might be playing on her mind.  He found her on the balcony, staring out at the night sky with a far away look on her face.  For a moment he could only stare: the light of the moons putting her in a particularly lovely light.  Then finally he remembered why he sought her out.  “Everything alright?”  He asked. 

Sari visibly startled, obviously having been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she hadn’t heard him approach.  “Oh!  Azu…you startled me….”  She said, putting a hand to her chest as she turned to look at him. 

“I apologize,” The Arbiter said, walking up to stand beside her.  “You seem to have a lot on your mind.” 

“Oh…I…was just wondering….”  Sari said quietly. 

“About?” 

“Where I would be if I had a _real_ father….” 

“Possibilities are near endless I can imagine in your case,”  The Arbiter said.  “I sometimes wonder where I would be if things happened differently, only to come to the same conclusion:  that everyone would be dead, because of Truth’s misunderstanding of the purpose of the Rings.” 

“Because if things happened differently to where you did not become the Arbiter, you would never have learned the truth and thus save us all.”  Sari said. 

“Aye, plus it is not certain if the Spartan would have been able to save us all on his own:  there was much he would not have been able to accomplish if myself and the rest of our people did not become the human’s allies.” 

“Yet in my case, if I had a real father, my life would not have been so…horrible.”  Sari said quietly. 

“Perhaps, perhaps not,”  The Arbiter said and paused a moment, wondering if he should really say what he wanted to say next.  “Some say that every life is a test,”  He said finally, deciding it couldn’t hurt since she already knew about his beliefs.  “And that the suffering we go through is part of it.  So even if you did have a real father instead of Kesi, fate probably would have made certain you still went though what you have, or at least something similar.

“Either way, I have realized a long time ago that wondering how things could have been different is pointless.  The past has already happened and cannot be changed.  Instead I wonder more at the future, which is not yet set in stone and open to all sorts of possibilities, both good and bad.” 

“So focus on what _can_ be changed.”  Sari said, to which the Arbiter nodded. 

“However I am not saying you cannot wonder how things could have turned out differently,”  He said.  “Such wonderings can be a healthy part of learning.  Yet one must be careful not to linger on the past, least it lead you down a road of self destruction.” 

“I see.  Thank you for your words of wisdom Azu.” 

The Arbiter smiled and patted her lightly on the shoulder.  “Do not mention it.  Try not to stay out here too long, alright?  It is supposed to get a little cool tonight.” 

“I will not, thank you.” 

\-- 

Sari watched as the Arbiter went back into the house.  She let out a long sigh as she turned her gaze back to the stars above.  _I understand what you say Azu…but the one thing that sticks out in my mind is that if my past had been different, I would never have met you,_   A lone tear rolled down her cheek.  _And knowing what you mean to me makes the decision I have to make that much harder…._


	20. Confession

Yesterday went much like it did the day before with the only difference was that Rtas could not bring himself to sit in bed the whole day.  This brought a certain challenge as he could never know where Ella was exactly at any one point, save when she was in the same room as him.  Like before, though, anytime she interacted with him she made sure she wasn’t threatening to him.  However, he did notice she was experimenting, trying certain gestures and movements to see if he could handle them. 

Rtas knew that the more she tested him and observed the results, the more likely she would start to figure out why he had the phobia in the first place.  Still, he knew that just watching how he reacted would not give her the whole story and that eventually she will inquire about it.  He just hoped it would be awhile before she did.  In the mean time, they continued to converse mainly through the console, though she did try to encourage him to talk to her face to face.  When that happened he was able to say a few words, though badly stuttering in the process.  She also kept assuring him that he would get better with time. 

He wanted to get better and he knew that he would have to make an effort on his own end in order _to_ get better.  However, he wasn’t sure what he could do on his end to help himself.  As he lay in bed, he realized he would have to ask her.  With slight hesitation he called her on the console. 

 _-Yes Rtas? Did you need something?-_   Her voice answered. 

“I….,”  For a second his voice refused to work until he swallowed the lump that was in his throat.  “I want to know…how I can…help you help me…get better.”  He forced out. 

There was a pause as Ella thought it over.  _–Doing what you are doing now is one way,-_   Before he could ask what she meant she explained.  _–Your phobia prohibits you from interacting with women both physically and vocally.  The vocal part will be easier to treat and will help foster trust between us, which will be important for treating the physical aspect.-_  

“So….just keep talking to you….” 

 _-Correct.  The more you do it the more you will get comfortable with it.  Plus later on, being able to talk to me comfortably will be important when determining why you developed the phobia in the first place.-_  

“I see…but…I do not know what to talk about…” 

 _-Anything you are comfortable with discussing.  Your military career, current events, opinions on political matters, etc.-_  

He noticed she did not say _childhood_ :  did that mean she already suspected it was something that happened to him during his childhood?  Rtas put the thought out of his mind, not wanting to bring up any memories.  “There is a lot I could talk about…that I would be comfortable with…,”  He confessed.  “I do not know what to choose….” 

 _-May I make a suggestion then?-_  

“Uh…sure…go ahead.” 

 _-Your mandibles, how did you lose them?-_  

Subconsciously he reached up with his good hand and touched the stubs, the memories of that mission coming to him.  “It was before we left the Covenant, when the Arbiter was still Supreme Commander of the _Fleet of Particular Justice_ …”  Before he realized it, he started telling her the tale of the _Infinite Succor_ mission, recalling every detail to her.  It felt like he was telling it to a comrade and the thought that he was really talking to a woman never even crossed his mind…. 

\-- 

It was late morning, almost afternoon actually, and Sari had yet to see the Arbiter: he usually was up by now.  Plus, Vl’asuna said that he hadn’t come out of his room at all today, leaving Sari to wonder if he was feeling well.  _I was experimenting last night with dinner…,_   She mused.  _But if he is sick due to that I would be as well, not to mention ‘Mura._  

Vl’asuna did mention that he did this occasionally, roughly twice a year, where he just stays in his room the whole day.  The Lipor, unfortunately, was at a loss as to why this was, but did speculate that it was some kind of anniversary, a painful one and that it was probably best just to leave him be.  Still, Sari felt he should at least have something to eat, so she prepared a light lunch for him. 

When she approached the door, she expected to have to knock on the door to be let in, but to her surprise it opened when she approached it.  She hesitated at the threshold for a moment, looking around the room from her position.  Sari could see part of the Arbiter’s bed and the part of the lump that was the Arbiter under the covers.  “Azu?”  She called softly, wondering if he was asleep.  She heard a grunt in response and determined he was not asleep.  “I brought you lunch, where did you want me to leave it?” 

“I am not hungry.”  Came a faint response.  Odd, he sounded almost like he was in pain. 

“Hungry or not, you need to eat something.”  Sari said, coming into the room and noting that the Arbiter’s back was to her.  She spotted a table by the bed and set the plate there.  As she did so, she noticed a picture frame on it and out of curiosity she picked it up to look at it.  On it was a picture of a younger male Sangheili holding a baby: the baby had to be no more then a year old.  Sari almost didn’t recognize the Arbiter as the adult in the picture, since his features were of him a bit younger and he lacked the Mark of Shame on his chest. 

“He would have been eight today.”  He said suddenly, startling her and nearly causing her to drop the picture.  She looked at the Arbiter, whom was now looking at her though his back was still mostly to her.  Sari could see the puffiness in his eyes and a wetness in them that still lingered. 

At once she understood:  the baby in the picture had been his son and apparently he lost him somehow at some point.  It was apparent he still grieved for this loss.  “What happened?”  She asked hesitantly. 

For a while the Arbiter did not answer.  “After I was branded a heretic, his mother took his life, fearing his life would also be tainted by my shame,” He explained finally.  “She…did not find out I had become the Arbiter and redeemed myself…until the day of her execution.” 

Sari set the picture down; releasing the breath she just realized she had been holding.  “He…looked like he would have been a strong, honorable man when he grew up…”  She said quietly. 

“I am certain he would have…but he was never given that chance.”

  _Like how father never gave me the chance to prove to him that I was worth something,_ She thought, recognizing the parallels between herself and his son.  _However, this is no time to be thinking of just myself._   Acting impulsively, she reached down and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace.  This took him completely by surprise, at first only uttering a quiet _wort_ in response. 

“Sari…what are you….,” He said once he was over the shock. “I am not…decent….” 

“I do not care if you are ‘decent’ or not right now,” She said.  “You need a hug…”  It took him a moment, but he finally accepted it, sitting up and wrapping his arms around her in turn.  Almost at once he started to weep. 

“Oh Azu…,”  She whispered as she rubbed his neck comfortingly.  “It still hurts even now, doesn’t it?” 

“Yes…,” He confessed.  “What hurts the most…is that I never really got the chance to be a father to him….” 

“I am sure he would want you to move on…,”  Sari said.  “Do you not want to try for another someday?” 

“I do,”  He said.  “But…I fear making the same mistake.” 

“What mistake?” 

The Arbiter pulled away, silent for a moment.  Sari positioned herself so she was sitting beside him.  “I do not want to marry for purely status again,” He explained finally.  “But…instead…love.” 

“Is the Arbiter _allowed_ to marry?”  She asked. 

“I…do not know, to be honest,”  He confessed.  “The Arbiter is supposed to die on his mission for the Prophets, so that does not make him good ‘marriage’ material I suppose.  I am certain some past Arbiters had been married, though they would have been so before they became the Arbiter,” He scratched at a mandible before adding.  “I guess in a way the position would be considered aristocratic in that regard, but I am not certain.” 

“Which would mean the Arbiter would not be allowed to marry if he had not been already.” 

The Arbiter shrugged, uncertain.  “The position of the Arbiter itself is in question,” He said.  “I would not be surprised if I am the last Arbiter and that the position would be permanently _retired_ after my passing.” 

“But hopefully that does not happen until you have passed on your bloodline.” 

“What…bloodline?”  The Arbiter said bitterly.  “I have no line anymore: that was stripped from me.  Even the name I use, Azu ‘Ramiz, is nothing more then a front to keep people from bugging me when I do not want to be bothered.” 

“I do not believe that.”  Sari said. 

“What?”  The Arbiter looked at her, puzzled. 

“If ‘Azu’ was just a front, you would not have insisted I call you Azu when we are alone.  That tells me you identify with the name and thus you _are_ Azu ‘Ramiz.  Plus, is not the fact that you have a new identity just an opportunity to start a new bloodline?  One with the honor you felt your old one has lost?” 

The Arbiter blinked. “I…had not thought of it that way….” 

Sari smiled as she said.  “Sometimes you need someone with a different perspective to talk to,” Her smile turned into a sad sigh.  “And at least _you_ can erase the taint of bad blood.” 

“Once Kesi is taken care of, you can work on rebuilding your family name’s honor,” He assured her.  “I will help you with that, the best I can.” 

For a few moments they were both silent.  “Azu…is what happened to your son…the reason you help me?”  Sari asked. 

The Arbiter was silent for a few moments before he responded.  “One of a few, though it was not my initial reason.” 

“Oh?  What was the initial reason?”  She asked, curious. 

“Even now…I am not completely certain,” He replied.  “Something drew me to you, drove me to help you.  As I learned the reasons behind your situation, that drive became stronger and changed into something else, something I did recognize after awhile.” 

“And…what was that?” 

He looked at her, an odd look in his eyes: he seemed uncertain if he should tell her.  “I do not know if it would be…safe…to tell you.”  He admitted. 

“Because of that thing you were talking about with that man the other day…,”  Sari said with a sigh.  “About that…’Malic person.” 

“Councilor Hyso ‘Malic,”  The Arbiter confirmed.  “He…has never liked me.” 

“What…will he do?” 

“I do not know.  There are many things he could do,”  The Arbiter growled.  “No matter what he plans though, I will not let him hurt you if I can help it.” 

“But why put yourself on the line for me like that?”  Sari asked. 

He looked at her for a long moment, Sari seeing the conflict in his eyes.  “Because…,” He said finally.  “I love you….” 

Sari felt like she had just been punched in the gut as the breath just seemed to leave her all at once.  It took her a moment to stop her head from spinning and to catch her breath.  Everything just fell into place, the reasons he did everything he did for her.  Despite how _she_ felt about _him_ , to actually hear him confess such a thing for her was a bit much to take. 

For his part, the Arbiter watched her patiently, apparently understanding that it was taking her a moment to recover.  “Are you alright?”  He asked finally, concern in his voice. 

“Yes,”  She said after a moment.  “You…caught me off guard with that…” 

“I apologize…,” He said hanging his head.  “But…I felt you had to know….” 

“Azu…I…”  Sari was at a loss for words.  She wanted to tell him how she felt, but the words just would not come to her.  Instead she embraced him again, the tips of her mandibles brushing against his briefly as she did so. 

“Oh….Sari….” The Arbiter said, his turn to be surprised, but he also sounded…relieved.  She felt him wrap his arms around her in a tight, passionate embrace. 

 _I cannot leave you…_ Sari thought, tears coming to her eyes.  _Not after what I just learned: it would be cruel of me to do so.  For I love you too…._


	21. Backfire

They spent the rest of the day talking, discussing how each other felt about the other and other things.  The Arbiter had felt a stab of pain when Sari admitted she had been considering leaving, due to the threat ‘Malic posed to them both.  He was relieved when she explained that it was no longer an option for her after realizing such an action would just cause him pain, which was the last thing she wanted to do. 

Both agreed not to ‘dive in’ completely right away, deciding to give their bond time to strengthen.  They also agreed not to try to show affection toward one another while out in public: the less ‘Malic knew about the extent of their relationship the better.  The Arbiter knew this would be hard to do, especially for himself.  He vowed to endure however, for both their sakes, especially since there was no way of knowing how long they will have to keep such an act up.  Once Kesi was dead, things _should_ get easier, but when that would happen was unknown, considering how much the Council was dragging their feet. 

He refused to let the thoughts of ‘Malic and Kesi drag down his mood however, preferring to enjoy the moment rather then dwell on what _might_ happen.  Therefore, he was in good spirits when he entered the Council chamber the following morning, though he did not show it on his face.  To do so would invite ‘Malic or another Councilor to ask why he was in such a good mood, considering they all knew how much he loathed these meetings.  Still, his mood quickly soured when he learned what Kesi had managed to do the other day. 

The Arbiter found out that the _Faithful Protector_ arrived at the rendezvous point to find the _Material Reserve_ absent.  A search discovered the remains of the Sangheili compliment of the crew in the empty space, which meant only one thing:  Kesi didn’t just raid a supply ship this time, he _stole the whole ship_!  It was becoming more and more obvious that Kesi had agents in the system somewhere, feeding him information on these supply ships.  Worse, this was a ship on loan to the UNSC, which meant there were humans as crew on board and the Arbiter knew what Kesi liked to do with humans.  He fought to keep his mandibles shut on the matter regardless, knowing it would be useless to say anything.  His silence was noticed however. 

“Not saying anything on this matter Arbiter,” One of the Councilors said.  “That is surprising.” 

“What is the point?”  The Arbiter replied with a snort.  “The lot of you will not do anything about it anyway.  Not unless your own hides are threatened by his actions.” 

“Or maybe your silence has to do with your own...recent…actions.”  ‘Malic said, a faint sly grin on his face. 

The Arbiter narrowed his eyes, knowing immediately what he was getting at: so this was how the bastard was going to strike.  “What are you talking about?”  He asked calmly. 

“I am starting to wonder if you have a hand in his actions,”  ‘Malic continued, the other Councilors looking between them with a mix of confusion and interest.  “Perhaps feeding him information?” 

“I suspect he has agents in the system,” The Arbiter admitted.  “But if you think it is me you are mistaken.” 

He noticed a slight look of disappointment in ‘Malic’s face: obviously he was expecting him to be stark raving mad about such an accusation.  “If not you, then what about someone that you are associated with?  Perhaps even lives with you?” 

“Vl’asuna ’Mura hates Kesi as much as I do,” The Arbiter reminded him.  “She is no traitor.” 

“What about Sari?”  ‘Malic asked coolly. 

At that the Arbiter’s temper did flare, but he checked it.  “Who is Sari?”  One of the Councilors asked. 

“A beggar the Arbiter took pity on,”  ‘Malic answered, then returned his gaze to the Arbiter, his glare accusing.  “But not just any beggar...but Kesi’s own daughter.” 

There were gasps of shock from the rest of the Council, the other members looking at him questioningly, some accusingly.  The Arbiter thought carefully before speaking.  “All you have is a name ‘Malic,” He said calmly.  “You know nothing about her past.” 

“Her past is not important,” ‘Malic countered.  “What matters is you willingly sheltered the enemy!” 

“ _Enemy_?”  The Arbiter said with a low growl.  “Was my son a heretic when my wife _strangled_ the life out of him…simply because I was Marked as one?” 

‘Malic blinked at him confused and the other Councilors shifted uncomfortably in their seats.  “That…that has no bearing here…”  ‘Malic attempted. 

“Actually it does,” The Arbiter countered.  “What right do you have, does _anyone_ have, to attach the sins of the parent to the child?  A child that had nothing to do with the parent’s crimes.” 

“You do not know that!”  ‘Malic roared. 

“I know better then you,” The Arbiter replied.  “Did you actually bother to look her up on the databases once you got her full name?  If you had…you would have learned that Kesi _disowned_ her just before he was actually marked as a traitor.  That is why she was homeless.” 

There was silence in the chamber, a couple of Councilors were whispering to each other while another was typing something on the console in front of him.  ‘Malic looked simply furious and at a loss for words for a moment.  “And you took her word for granted?  Even knowing she was related to your worse enemy?”  ‘Malic said hotly. 

“Actually Hyso…,” The Councilor that had been working at his console said.  “He is correct.  She was disowned, so I do not feel she deserves to be labeled with the crimes Kesi has committed.” 

The other Councilors nodded in agreement and the Arbiter allowed himself a faint smile.  ‘Malic was glaring at him, then at his fellow Councilors and then back at him again, uncertain at who to be angry at.  “This meeting is adjourned.”  He said abruptly, fixing the Arbiter with a look that could only mean ‘this isn’t over yet’. 

 _No,I imagine it is not._   The Arbiter thought as he exited the chamber, still smiling. 

\-- 

Rtas had continued to tell stories about his past adventures through out the day.  Usually this was over the console, but occasionally Ella would encourage him to try to tell one while she was in the same room.  He managed, but only with the most basic of details due to how much he stuttered.  Ella did mention that his stuttering seemed to be lessened somewhat, but Rtas was not certain if she was just saying that to boost his confidence.  He did feel slightly more comfortable around her, however, his urge to run and hide from her when she interacted with him decreased.  That did boost his confidence. 

The next day he felt eager to work more on defeating his phobia, but Ella seemed to be absent.  He searched throughout the upper part of the house and found no sign of her.  Well, there was a note on the counter, telling him that she left some breakfast in the fridge for him, but no mention of where she was.  _Perhaps she had things to do in the shop,_ Rtas thought as he removed said food from the fridge.  _But, did she not say that she would keep it closed for a while?_  

He was tempted to wander downstairs to test this theory.  However, the problem with that idea was that he did not know the door code to get back in.  If she wasn’t there he would be stuck downstairs until she returned from where ever she went.  A rather embarrassing situation he rather not even risk getting into, so he opted to just wait upstairs. 

It was about midday when she finally returned.  When he saw her, he noticed she was in robes of mourning and her eyes were puffy from crying.  It clicked then:  Heko’s funeral must have been today and Rtas couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty for being a burden to her during such a difficult time.  He found himself wanting to comfort her, but knew he would not be able to; the thought of it just made him more desperate to be cured of his phobia. 

“Ella…,” He said quietly as he watched her rub her eyes as she walked toward her room.  “Y…you…alright?” 

Ella looked up at him, the sorrow evident in her eyes and he saw her smile faintly.  “I will be Rtas, thank you.”  She replied quietly. 

“Why?”  He asked.  “Wh…why take me on…s..so soon?  I…I do not…want to be a…burden.” 

“You are no burden Rtas,” She said reassuringly.  “Helping you is helping me cope with my loss.  I…probably would not be doing much of anything if…you were not here.” 

“Oh,” After a moment he asked.  “D…did you…n…need…anything?” 

“Thank you, but no,” Ella said with a sad sigh.  “I…just need some time…to myself.” 

As he watched her enter her room and close the door, he wished even more he could bring himself to hug her, let her cry on his shoulder.  Give her the support she needs in this time of grief. _Like you did with me, father…,_ He thought solemnly.  _When you rescued me…._  

\-- 

Hyso stormed into his private quarters, knocking over a couple of tables as he passed them in his fury.  _Damn you Arbiter…,_ He thought with a growl, knocking a vase off another table, the fragile item shattering on the floor.  _You were expecting this, had to be._  It was the only logical explanation on why the Arbiter reacted so calmly to his accusations. 

After pacing around the living room for a few moments, he finally forced himself to sit down.  _He must have his own informants,_ He mused once he calmed down a bit.  _How else could he have known I was planning this?_   _If this is true, then I must be very careful with any further plans._   It only cemented his suspicion that the Arbiter wanted total control over the government, but the other Councilors were obviously blind to it.  Hell, he doubted he could count on his fellow Councilors now after today. 

 _If I am to remain in control…the Arbiter must die._   Hyso concluded.  The Ambassador position was no longer working to keep him in check and who knows what kind of plots the Arbiter had in his head.  Yet, arranging for the Arbiter’s death will be tricky:  after all, he managed to survive the attempts on his life many times before.  Plus he would have to be careful not to have it lead back to himself, else the whole purpose of this plan would be for nothing. 

Over the next couple of hours, he tried to think of ideas on how to get rid of the Arbiter for good.  However, every idea he came up with carried the risk of him being discovered as the instigator.  As much as he would love to end his life personally, he knew that would not do him any good at all.  Then, just as he was about to give it up for the day, it dawned on him how he could do it. 

 _Kesi…he is my ticket to getting rid of him._   Hyso realized.  There were a few problems with this however.  First was getting in contact with the rogue without drawing suspicion himself.  The solution to that problem resolved itself when he realized that the Arbiter himself gave him the clue he needed.  _What was it that he said?  Ah ‘I suspect he has agents in the system’._   He thought, a grin starting to form on his face.  The biggest problem there was _finding_ said agents, but with his status he doubted it would be too much trouble. 

The High Councilor knew it would likely take time to track down even one such agent so he knew he needed to be patient.  In the meantime, he also knew he needed to gather information, information he would need to convince Kesi to take the job.  After all, he may have disowned his daughter, but Hyso doubted he would take kindly to the Arbiter hanging around her….


	22. Past Pains

Ella tapped a claw on the table in slight frustration as she looked over the pages of notes she had taken over the past month.  Over that month, Rtas had made wonderful progress in his battle to defeat his Gynophobia.  He could now speak to her directly with little problem and can stand some physical contact without reacting negatively.  However, progress has since stalled due to his reluctance to talk about what gave him the phobia in the first place.  The closest she got was when he told her that his father rescued him.  Yet, what was it that he rescued him from?  It was that which she was certain was the cause of his phobia and she was currently looking over her notes to see if she had missed any clues. 

Rtas had spoken a great deal about his father, on how much he respected and admired him.  She cried with him when he told her how he died on a battlefield, how apparently his sire recorded his last words for Rtas to hear.  However, that recording never reached him: whatever it was that his father wanted to tell him was likely lost forever.  He told her he tried not to dwell on what his father’s last words may have been, but she could tell it still bothered him even now. 

Another thing that bothered her, if only slightly, was that even though he was now completely healed of his injuries he continued to stay here.  It was possible he was afraid to step outside due to this ‘Gala’ individual, but that couldn’t be completely true, as she had seen him standing outside on the balcony a few times.  _Or maybe he wants to ensure he is completely cured first before leaving,_ She wondered, thinking that was a good possibility.  _Speaking of which, where is he?_  

She rose from her seat and went to find him, out of curiosity on what he was up to rather then concern for his wellbeing.  After a quick search, she found him on the balcony, looking lost in thought as he watched the sunset.  From the look in his eyes, she could tell he was not thinking of anything that was very pleasant.  About the loss of his father again or something else perhaps?  She decided to risk trying to find out. 

“What is on your mind?”  Ella asked gently as she approached and stood beside him. 

“The past….”  He replied simply, looking at the ground below. 

“What part of it?”  She probed carefully. 

Rtas looked at her and then back down at the ground.  For a moment, she feared he would not respond and clam up on her as he had many times before, but to her surprise he responded.  “The family I had…before my father took me away from them.”  He said quietly. 

Ella blinked in surprise, both at the admission and the fact that she now recognized the clue she had missed all along.  His father had been a Spec Ops and thus an aristocrat.  As an aristocrat he would not have been allowed to marry, so it would have been likely he mated with a female that already was.  _Which means it was highly possible his mother’s family was abusive._  She thought grimly.  Still, she knew not to make any assumptions.  “Did you want to talk about it?”  Ella asked him. 

“I…do not know…,”  He said.  “It is still painful to remember.” 

“Sharing it with me may help ease the pain.”  She told him, trying to be encouraging. 

He looked at her again, uncertainty in his eyes.  Ella turned and sat down on the bench, waiting patiently, hoping he would open up to her so she could help him more.  That he admitted this much now was a good sign, but she needed to know more.  She steeled herself for the likely possibility that this would be all she would get out of him on the subject today, but at least it was a small amount of progress after a long period of nothing. 

As she waited, Rtas sat down beside her, rubbing his head with one hand, his breaths heavy, as the memories were no doubt flooding his mind.  In a show of support and comfort, she gripped his free hand with her own and rubbed it.  “If you cannot talk about it now, it is alright.”  She said. 

“No…,”  He said firmly.  “I…I…need to tell you…just…finding the words….” 

“Take your time.” 

Rtas closed his eyes and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his nerves.  Ella reached around and rubbed his back to help him relax.  “Oh…,”  He breathed as he arched his back a bit in response.  “That feels good….” 

“I can do a mean back massage,” She told him with a smile.  “Perhaps _later_ I can do one for you.” 

“Tempting….”  He admitted lazily: was she putting him asleep just doing this? 

“You were saying something about this family….”  Ella quickly but gently said, in an attempt to get his mind back on track. 

His mood quickly darkened again and he let out a deep sigh.  After a couple of moments he finally said.  “My…my mother was married to a doctor….however, despite his talents she died right after I was born.  My…older half sister…Gala ‘Misat…blamed me for her death and though he never said it to my face, I believed my step father did as well.” 

“Which is not true…your birth at the time of her death is coincidence, nothing more.”  Ella said. 

Rtas laughed weakly.  “I know that now…but back then…back then…I felt like I was nothing.  Gala would beat me senseless, call me horrible names, and force me to sleep in the closet instead of a proper bed.  I was…still am…terrified of her.” 

 _This is it…,_ Ella said, having to force herself to breathe.  _The source, the reason for his phobia.  How ironic…if his mother had lived, this probably never would have happened.  Yet…would he still be the man he is today?_  

“Worse….even worse…,” Rtas continued.  “Was that my step-father turned a blind eye to it all.  The only time he even bothered with me was when I needed to be punished for something, usually something Gala did but blamed me for it instead.  He…hated me…hated that I took his mate away before he could sire a son of his own blood.  That he did not smack me around himself was a miracle….” 

“He just let Gala do everything to you.”  Ella stated, to which he nodded. 

“I suffered under them for six years…before my blood father came and took me away,” Rtas said.  “The only reason I am the stable, functioning man I am today is because of his love and dedication to me.  And yet…,” Tears started streaming from his eyes.  “I could not bring myself to tell him what they had done to me…I was too afraid.  When I discovered that my abuse at the hands of my sister gave me a fear of women…I could not tell him that either.

“He was so proud of me…thinking I was so strong and brave, when I was not.  I was afraid he would disown me when he found out I was so…flawed.  Now it is too late to tell him the truth….” 

“Rtas…,” Ella said gently.  “I believe your father knew something of the abuse you suffered, else he probably would have waited until you were older before taking you in.  From what I understand of aristocratic caste anyway.” 

“But there is no way to know for sure now….”  He mumbled. 

“Perhaps, but what you have told me about him and what you just told me about your situation back then tells me that is highly likely he did so.  He did not strike me as a man to _not_ notice what state you were in.” 

A faint smile appeared on his face.  “You…you are right…,” He said.  “He was not the kind of man to let that kind of injustice go unnoticed.  Though I never heard of what he did to my step-family….” 

“What happened to them as a result is not important right now,” Ella told him.  “You are important.  You have come so far in your treatment, Rtas.” 

“Thanks to you…,” He said softly, looking at her.  “I…would not be here today…if it were not.”

 “I do the best I can.”  Ella said with a faint smile.  

“Yet I fear…when I see _her_ again…everything will be undone.” 

“Not so long as you remember that you are stronger then her in every way,” Ella told him.  “She is nothing but a bully and every bully at their core is really a coward.  You are not a helpless little boy anymore Rtas, but a grown man, one with the strength and skill to fight back.”  She reached over and griped his hand again.  To her surprise, he not only gripped back but also touched his forehead to hers.  Was this his way of thanking her, or something else? 

“I will try to remember that…should the time come.”  He said softly. 

“If not…I will remind you.”  Ella whispered.  _You captured my heart long ago Rtas…,_ She thought as they continued to hold that pose.  _Did I finally capture yours?_  

\-- 

The Arbiter stood staring out at the sunset, one claw idly scratching at a mandible as he grinned, feeling pleased with himself.  During one of his visits to Ella’s place to see how Rtas was doing a couple of weeks ago, he and the Shipmaster thought up an idea to help hinder Kesi.  The idea was to have at least one other ship following the supply ship some distance away, which would do a pin point slipspace jump to the supply ship’s location the moment it received word of Kesi attacking.  As a result, Kesi’s raids have been less successful and no doubt suffered more casualties as the pirates made a hasty retreat from the sudden increase in enemy forces. 

This was arranged without the Council’s approval of course, the tactic spread over private lines to the Shipmasters directly.  Not only did this keep the Council from finding out they had been bypassed, but it furthered the suspicion that Kesi had allies in the system.  Unfortunately, trying to track down those allies was near impossible since the Council still didn’t believe him.  At least ‘Malic hasn’t attempted any further smear tactics against him, though the Arbiter suspected he was up to something. 

A pair of slim, pale hands wrapped around his waist, drawing him from his line of thought.  With a chuckle, he gently pried them away enough so he could twist around to face their owner, whom was the other reason he was in such a good mood.  Sari was looking up at him, smiling, and her pale blue eyes shining.  Over the last month, she had lost any traces of the malnourishment she had suffered when he first met her and her skin shone with a healthy luster.  He thought she was beautiful before; now she was drop dead _gorgeous._  

The muscles beneath her skin were tone and supple as well now, thanks to the combat training he was giving her.  She was proficient in the basics and now was starting on the advanced.  Sari also showed an interest in melee weaponry, so he started her on the basics of melee weapon use as well.  The pair also often had friendly sparing matches now, Sari sometimes giving him the run for his money due to her greater speed and agility.  Well, _most_ of the time she did it was due to cheating.  Who told her he was ticklish anyway? 

Besides that, their relationship had blossomed and the bond between them now near unbreakable.  Despite that, they had only just started sleeping in the same bed a few days ago, neither wanting to rush into things too quickly.  Still, he felt the desire to start a family rising and he suspected Sari was starting to feel it as well.  What _that_ required he couldn’t help but feel a bit apprehensive about:  due to the size difference between them, he feared he would end up hurting her. 

“So…,” Sari said, a playful tone in her voice.  “What shall we do this evening?” 

“Oh I do not know…,” The Arbiter confessed as he leaned down and nuzzled her.  “I do not really have anything planned….” 

Sari giggled and then nipped him on the neck lightly.  In response the Arbiter growled playfully, lightly clamped his mandibles around her neck, followed by ‘licking’ her with his _origua_.  Sari retaliated by tickling him, which forced him to release her and dance away from her torturous fingers. 

“No fair!”  He whined, but quickly got behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms to her side. 

“Now look who is being unfair?”  Sari giggled as he lifted her effortlessly in the air and carried her back into the house.  There he sat down on the couch, with her sitting on his lap.  

“Now I got you right where I want you…”  He said huskily as he nipped her neck gently. 

“Oh really?”  She said softly as she managed to twist around to face him.  “Would not the bedroom be better for this?” 

“In good time my dear…,” The Arbiter said dreamily as he started working on her clothing.  “Things such as this must be savored….” 

He may be a bit apprehensive about possibly hurting her, but he couldn’t wait any longer….


	23. Unexpected Proposal

The next morning Sari stirred awake only to find the Arbiter still asleep, one arm draped over her.  With a light sigh she nuzzled him lovingly, prompting a faint moan from him, before laying her head down again.  She knew she should get up, but she felt too comfortable right now, laying in bed with her mate and feeling the warmth of his body against hers. 

Sari vividly remembered the events of last night.  Last night they finally showed each other just how much they loved each other.  She had worried about the great physical size difference between them and, from the look in his eyes at the time, he had the same concerns.  However those worries, those concerns proved to be for nothing, as the Arbiter was very careful, very gentle with her.  

He had been wonderful and in truth, she would not mind another round.  However, her rumbling stomach reminded her of something that was just as important.  With a sigh she forced herself to sit up, where she stretched for a moment before standing up.  She didn’t get far though, as a hand reached up and grabbed her arm. 

“Where do you think you are going?”  The Arbiter said, a mischievous glint in his eye. 

“Breakfast silly.”  Sari replied with a giggle, only for him to pull her back into the bed and wrap his arms around her. 

“Breakfast can wait.”  He said huskily as he nuzzled her neck affectionately. 

“Are you becoming an addict?”  She asked playfully. 

He chuckled, Sari feeling it in his chest as well as hearing it.  “If there is such a thing as being addicted to love then I am guilty as charged.” 

“Well then…I hear by sentence you to life.” 

“So be it,”  The Arbiter growled playfully as he pulled her back underneath the covers.  As he hovered over her, he asked.  “Will you share in my sentence?” 

“Of course…my love.” 

\-- 

Kesi growled as one of his bridge crew informed him that a second Loyalist destroyer was emerging from slipspace.  Fortunately, his troops were just starting to return to the _Righteous Justice_ , sincehe was only having his troops do hit and runs now, which entailed landing, grabbing what they can and leaving immediately.  This cut the amount of supplies they get drastically, but it also cut down on the number of casualties.  Once in a while though, such as today, a couple of the Phantoms get destroyed before they could return to the safety of the _Righteous Justice_. 

As his ship escaped into slipspace before it could sustain much damage, Kesi scratched at the arm of his chair in frustration.  Having a second destroyer suddenly appear on them was bad luck for that one run, but this was happening every time now.  Worse, his contacts on Sangheilios insist there were no changes in the orders from what they could tell.  This meant the Loyalist fleets decided on this action on their own without the Council.  _But who gave them the idea?_   He wondered.  _I doubt those cretins could come up with such a plan on their own._  

Kesi really wanted to blame the Arbiter, but he had no proof it was him.  Moreover, even though, as a former Supreme Commander, he would have had the naval tactics experience to think of such a thing, he had no authority over the fleets themselves.  _Official authority that is._   He corrected himself, remembering that most people respected that heretic and probably would have taken such an order from him. 

“Shipmaster,”  A Major called.  “You have a message.” 

“Message?”  Kesi raised a brow.  “From who?” 

“One of our contacts on Sangheilios.”  The Major replied. 

“Oh, good…perhaps they found out who had altered the Loyalist fleet orders….” 

“Actually sir…from the look of it, it has nothing to do with that.” 

“What?”  Kesi blinked, confused and slightly worried.  Those contacts were only to send him messages on general political happenings, supply ship schedules and the supply ship escorts.  Were one or more of his contacts compromised?  If so, that would hamper his activities greatly.  “What is the message?”  He asked finally. 

The Major took a moment to read the contents fully.  “One of our contacts has been discovered Shipmaster, but the one that discovered him is not only surprising but did something…unexpected.” 

Kesi tilted his head, now curious.  “Out with it.” 

“It…was Councilor ‘Malic sir…,” The Major said, slightly nervous.  “He wants to talk to you in person, something about making a deal.” 

It took a couple of moments for this to sink in and once it did Kesi’s mind was in overtime.  _One of the Councilors themselves wishes to speak to me?_   He thought, trying to wrap his head around this completely.  From what he had heard the Council could care less what he did, so why the sudden change with one of them?  He tapped his claw on the chair arm as he pondered this.  “No mention on what kind of deal he wants to make I take it?”  He asked. 

“No sir.  Nothing, other then a time and place has provided.” 

“How nice of him to assume I would want to talk…,” He growled faintly.  “What is the time and place?”  When the Major told him Kesi narrowed his eyes:  this sounded like a possible trap, an obvious one.  However, he knew ‘Malic was unlikely to use himself as bait like that, so perhaps this was a legit thing. 

 _If this is legit, I may be able to use this to my advantage,_   He thought as he considered the possibilities.  _But it will depend on what ‘he’ wants out of it,_   From his contacts, he learned that ‘Malic was a bit power hungry and paranoid about his status.  He also learned that he had tried to knock the Arbiter down a few pegs somewhat recently, though he did not know the details.  _Something to do with the Arbiter perhaps?  If so…he better have a good offer if he wants me to take care of him for him._  

He hated the Arbiter and wished him dead of course.  However, doing so now would risk getting both the human and Sangheili Loyalists on his ass.  After coming so far, he did not want to risk losing everything for nothing…. 

\-- 

Rtas repeated the combat form for the fifth time, ignoring the ache in his limbs and the slight burning sensation in his lungs.  The two weeks it took for his arm to heal made him unbalanced and now he was working hard to correct it.  Unfortunately, the second story of Ella’s house that served as the living quarters did not provide much room for him to work out, but he made do with what space he had.  He just made sure he did so when Ella was downstairs tending to the shop: while the female said she didn’t mind him doing this, the fact that he had to move her furniture around obviously annoyed her. 

 _Why do I remain here at all now?_   He thought, stopping his practicing so he could catch his breath.  _I have told her everything now and there is not much more she can do for me…I think._   Not to mention it would be easier to get back into form at his own place, or even on the _Shadow of Intent_.  

Sitting down on the floor, he thought back to yesterday, when he finally was able to tell her the part of his past that was responsible for his phobia.  After telling her, it felt like he had a large weight lifted off his shoulders and what she told him he knew was true deep in his hearts.  His half-sister was really a coward, using him to vent her frustrations and anger, blaming him for something he had no control over.  Yet even knowing this, he was uncertain if he would be able to stand up to her should they cross paths again.  

 _I must if I am to truly master my fear,_   He told himself.  _I have come so far and that is really the only thing left for me to do,_ The thought of facing Gala sent a shiver down his spine and regretfully he pushed the thought of confronting her to the back of his mind.  _I am not ready…,_   He thought sadly.  _If I face her now, everything I accomplished will likely be undone._  

Rtas turned his thoughts to other things; in particular, he recalled what happened toward the end of the conversation yesterday.  Absently he rubbed his forehead where he had touched it to Ella’s:  sometimes he still felt the softness and heat of her skin against his.  _Why did I do that?_   He asked himself, but could not think of an answer.  Rtas had also held her hand at the time as well, which only added to his confusion.  On top of that, he had a rather… _interesting_ …dream last night. 

He had never had an erotic dream before and he had to make sure Ella wasn’t around before rushing to take a cold shower.  A part of him wondered if it was his desires starting to surface again, but another part felt it was something else, yet similar in a way.  He did realize that now that his phobia was largely under control he could go out and sire a child he always wanted.  However, he found his interest in doing just that almost non-existent.  This puzzled him.  _I am finally able to satisfy my desires yet now I have no interest in going out to fulfill them?  What is wrong with me?_  

“Think like that much longer and you will burn the house down.” 

Rtas jumped at the unexpected voice.  Now on his feet he looked up at the speaker to see Ella looking at him with a faint smirk on her face.  “Ella…do not startle me like that.”  He said. 

“Sorry, but you would have jumped no matter how I got your attention,”  Ella pointed out.  “And I wanted to keep my house from getting burnt.” 

“Very funny,”  Rtas looked up at the time.  “Closing the shop early?”  He asked. 

“No, just I needed to get something from up here,”  Ella explained.  “What were you in such deep thought over anyway?” 

He looked at the ground, not sure how to explain.  “Puzzling over myself,”  He replied.  “I know what I want, yet now I seem to lack the desire to get it.” 

Ella tilted her head to one side, thinking.  Then she approached him and lightly touched him on the arm.  “Perhaps what you seek has already been found,”  She said softly.  “But you just do not realize it yet,”  He blinked at her in confusion, but Ella did not elaborate.  Instead, she turned and started to head out of the room.  “Do not forget to put the furniture back to where it belongs when you are done.”  She said as she disappeared out the door. 

“I will not….”  Rtas replied quietly and then realized he had been staring at her shapely ass as she had left.  Embarrassed with himself, he forced himself into another few rounds of combat forms. 

\-- 

Later that evening Ella was starting to close up shop, Rena and the other employee having already gone home for the day.  As she did the close up routine, she smiled as she thought about Rtas.  _Oh Rtas…,_   She thought.  _You have been afraid of women for so long, I do not think you even know how to recognize when you are in love with one._  

Ella blinked at herself and chuckled.  _Ella, girl, you are getting ahead of yourself.  It is plain that he_ likes _you, but love?_   She knew in her hearts it was wrong to jump to conclusions, but she couldn’t help but hope. 

The door opened and Ella glanced at the figure only briefly before returning to her task.  “I am sorry but I am about to close,”  She said.  “Would you like to set an appointment for tomorrow? I have openings.” 

“I am not here for an appointment,”  A distinctly female voice replied with a growl.  At once Ella became on her guard, as she looked the individual fully.  The female Sangheili was nearly as tall as she was, with dark grayish brown skin and yellow eyes.  The clothing she wore was casual but stained, like she had been working in the dregs for the day: she certainly smelled like she had.  Moving her gaze downward, she spied a weapon in her hand, a plasma pistol.  The female noticed her gaze.  “Do not worry…I am not here to _rob_ you.”  She hissed. 

“Then what do you want?”  Ella asked evenly as she slowly reached under the counter for the silent alarm button.  She may be claiming she wasn’t here to rob her, but she got a very bad feeling about her: what did not help was that she kept feeling like she should know her. 

“Where is he?”  The female demanded. 

“Where is who?”  Ella replied as she pressed the button, playing dumb but in reality had a good idea who this person was after, but was not going to be making any assumptions. 

“Do not play with me…,”  The female growled, pulling out the pistol and pointing it at her.  Ella put up her hands and backed away.  “I know he is here….,”  She moved around the counter and got into Ella’s face.  “He is not at his home and he has not been seen leaving the surface.  This is the only other place I know he goes.” 

“I am sorry, but I do not know who you are talking about.”  Ella said calmly.  With the silent alarm active, it would be only a few minutes before a security force got here:  she just needed to stay alive long enough for them to get here.  

“ _Liar!_ ”  The female growled, smacking her over the head with the pistol.  Ella saw stars in front of her eyes as she fell to the floor.  “I _know_ he is here!”  The female screamed as Ella fought to stay conscious.  “You will tell me where that piece of trash I am forced to call my brother is if you value your life!” 

Through her slightly blurred vision, she saw the female lean down and point the pistol right at her head.  There was no question in her mind now on who this was:  Rtas’ half-sister, Gala ‘Misat.


	24. Discovery

“You would kill an innocent to get at him?”  Ella said, trying to buy more time. 

“I do what is needed to avenge my mother.”  Gala growled, pressing the pistol against her head harder. 

“And what did he do to your mother?”  Ella asked, playing as if she knew nothing of their past.  If she acted otherwise, there was no telling how Gala would react. 

“He killed her,”  Gala said bluntly.  “In cold blood!” 

“Then…should you not leave this for the justices to handle?” 

“They would not touch the case…,”  Gala said with a growl.  “Because it was the process of him being born that killed her.” 

Even though she already knew, hearing it from Gala’s own mouth disgusted her even more.  It took her a moment to force herself not to say the first thing on her mind and to alter those words so that it matched the act she was giving.  “Why blame a child for something he had no control over?”  She asked.  “A mother dying while giving birth is an accepted risk all mothers accept.  If anything, she would have been glad he lived.” 

“Do not give me that Brute dung!”  Gala growled, smacking her with the pistol again.  “I am a nurse…I know what the risks are!  Death during birth usually only happens with a first-born!  That he was her second child meant something fishy was going on!”  Ella wanted to say something, but the pain kept her from thinking clearly:  where was that security team?  She felt Gala grab her by the collar and force her to sit upright.  “Enough of the stalling!  Where is he!?”  Gala pressed the pistol to her forehead this time.  “Answer me or I will blow your fucking brains out right here!” 

 _I do not want to die…,_ Ella thought, closing her eyes.  _Not like this…oh Rtas…I am so sorry…._  

“Ah!” 

The sudden cry of pain from Gala, along with her releasing her grip on her clothing, made her sigh with relief.  Finally, that blasted security force was here.  Yet when she looked up, she realized it wasn’t the security team at all…. 

\-- 

Meanwhile, Rtas thought he heard screaming downstairs.  Wondering if Ella was having trouble with a particularly belligerent customer, he headed for the stairs to see what was going on.  He froze the instant he heard _her_ voice. 

 _Oh  no…,_ He thought, immediately feeling his heart rate quicken and his fear take hold.  There was no question in his mind on why Gala was here: she was here for him.  _It is too soon…_   Rtas leaned against the stairway wall, taking deep breaths in an effort to calm himself down.  Through the still closed door, he could hear Ella trying to reason with her, only to be threatened with her death. 

He felt his throat tighten.  At once he realized there was more at stake here then his own wellbeing.  Gala was not known to bluff and would likely kill her if she did not give in to her demands.  _Ella…_   She was the first woman to understand him, help him.  If he lost her now…. 

 _I have to do something…_   He told himself, willing his body to move to the door and open it.  It took more willpower to move beyond the threshold and see where Ella and Gala was.  Terror griped his hearts and for what felt like an eternity, he could not move.  Fortunately, Gala was so focused on Ella she did not notice him come into the room, but it would be only a matter of time before she did. 

Ella looked terrible, Rtas seeing two large welts on her head.  Gala was holding her up by the collar of her robe and had a plasma pistol to her forehead.  Rtas then remembered what Ella told him:  that Gala was a bully and all bullies, at their core, were really cowards.  _Picking on those weaker then themselves to make them feel better,_   He thought, the first glimmer of anger starting to replace the fear.  _You ruined the early years of my childhood because you thought I took Mother away from you on purpose.  Now….now you are threatening to remove the one woman in my life that means everything to me!_  

He did not realize he was moving, his gaze focused completely on his so-called sister.  Rtas vaguely realized he picked up something and was only barely aware he threw that object.  Said object smacked Gala in the head, causing her to drop Ella and stagger backwards, dropping the pistol in the process.  He immediately got between them and kicked the pistol away, sending it skittering across the floor and it ended up under a chair. 

“You…”  Gala growled once she had regained her footing. 

“How does it feel for _you_ to get hit in the head for once?”  He asked her coolly, a hint of the anger he felt just bubbling under the surface of his voice. 

Gala looked around, obviously looking for her pistol.  When she failed to find it, she affixed him with a steel-eyed glare.  “At last…I shall finish what I started!”  The crazed female lunged at him. 

For a split second, Rtas felt frozen in terror, the memories of her beatings rising to the surface.  Then he remembered Ella and the words she told him: his resolve returned.  He caught Gala’s hands by the wrists.  Confusion flashed across Gala’s face as he leaned his head close to hers and said.  “I am not the helpless little boy you used to beat senseless years ago.  I am not afraid of you anymore.” 

Various emotions flickered in Gala’s eyes, but the one that caught his attention the most was fear.  Gala was struggling in his grip, trying to get away.  This only made him grip her wrists even harder.  “Let me go!”  She pleaded. 

“Why?”  Rtas growled.  “For all you put me through, I _should_ put you through some of the same pain I went through.” 

“So instead of me killing you….you will kill me…like you did Mother.” 

“I did not kill her.”  Rtas sighed. 

“Yes you did!  Your birth caused her death!”  Gala insisted.  “Her spirit cries for vengeance!” 

He tilted his head at her, flabbergasted at her claim.  “Who named me then?”  He asked her.  “It certainly was not your father and I know it was not you.  My blood father was not even in the system at the time of my birth.” 

Gala blinked and then started squirming in his grasp.  He had hit a nerve, a truth she had been in denial of all his life.  “Answer me.”  He demanded. 

“Ma…mother did….”  Gala finally replied, tears now in her eyes. 

“What do you think that means then?”  He asked, this time he did not wait for her to reply.  “It means she did not hate me for causing her death, like any other mother.  Tell me, if it had been you in Mother’s place…would you hate me?”  Gala shook her head, but Rtas felt it was not in response to his question.  Suddenly she screamed loudly in denial and lashed out with a hoof, catching him in the middle.  Caught off guard, he released her and the rogue female ran out of the shop as fast as her hooves could carry her.  

Rtas stared at the exit for a moment, considering going after her.  That consideration was extremely brief as he remembered Ella.  Quickly he went to her side and helped her into a sitting position.  “Ella…are you alright?”  He asked her as he supported her weight on his arms. 

“I…I am going to have a headache….,”  Ella said, slightly weak.  She looked up at him and smiled.  “You did it Rtas…you faced her…and won.” 

“I remembered what you told me,”  Rtas said.  “And…I realized something else.” 

“What is that?” 

Rtas looked at her for a moment, looking deep into her amber eyes.  Then, he embraced her and held her tightly.  “I realized…that if I lost you…my life would have far less meaning….” 

“Oh Rtas….,”  He felt her nuzzle his neck as she whispered.  “I feel the same about you….” 

The touching moment was interrupted when a pair of security personnel burst into the room.  The pair blinked at them in mild surprise.  “Shipmaster ‘Vadum…,” One of them said, blinking in surprise.  “What are you doing here?” 

“I am afraid you missed the action,”  Rtas told them.  “The one responsible for the trouble has already fled.” 

The other Sangheili turned to his partner and said.  “I _told_ you not to take that so-called shortcut of yours.” 

\-- 

Sergeant Major Avery Johnson walked down the corridors of Cairo Station, grateful to be away from those annoying politicians and have some time to himself.  The last two years of this Ambassador bullcrap had added more grey hairs to his head then all the years he spent fighting the Covenant.  He was certain his brother in misery, the Arbiter, was getting Elite equivalent of grey hairs as well, especially since the Elite Councilors seemed to be more bone headed then the human politicians. 

This was especially so when it came down to that bastard Kesi and his merry band of pirates.  For some reason the Elite Council seems rather reluctant to hunt down that rogue, a reluctance that was seriously annoying the leaders of humanity.  The Arbiter, from what he heard, kept on trying to convince them, only to be stonewalled, tying the hands of the only politician that actually gave a crap about the welfare of both species and the alliance.  Or did they? 

Johnson _had_ heard reports of the Elites starting to use a ‘distant guard’ of sorts as of late.  One that would do a pinpoint slipspace jump to the supply ship the moment it received word of Kesi’s attack.  The tactic had decreased the success rate of Kesi’s raids dramatically and boosted morale all around.  Johnson suspected the Arbiter’s hand in this change of tactics, though he also suspected he did this behind the Council’s back.  A view which was shared by his fellow politicians and kept quiet lest the Council get a stick up their ass and resend the order, like they did the _last_ time. 

It still burned Johnson’s butt on the audacity of their action two years ago.  If they had not been so full of themselves, Kesi would have been killed back then and none of this pirate stuff would be happening.  Since then, his own people have sent out hunter-killer squads to try to end that pirate’s activities; however, the wily Kesi would always slip out of their grasp.  The theft of the _Material Reserve_ about a month ago told them the pirate was starting to accelerate his plans, though new escort tactics has likely slowed it down again.  Either way, humanity was getting tired of the stonewalling and wanted Kesi brought in, or killed, and he heard hints that the leadership may be sending him to Sangheilios to try to talk some sense into the Elite Councilors.  He doubted it:  after all, if the _Arbiter_ could not convince them, what chance did he have? 

Johnson’s ponderings was interrupted when he spied a curious sight.  In one of the little cafes, he spotted one of those ONI spooks talking to some of the Elites that were visiting the station.  As he watched, he saw the Elites shake their heads regretfully and leave.  His curiosity peaked; Johnson decided to find out what the ONI guy was up to. 

“I thought you spooks were done interrogating the Elites?”  He asked as he walked up beside him. 

“Good evening Ambassador.”  The ONI guy said, a fairly young man from what Johnson could tell.  “It’s not what you think.” 

“Enlighten me then, quickly, before I decide to have you reported for harassing our guests.”  The last thing Johnson wanted was to have an intergalactic incident because the ONI guys were up to their old tricks again. 

The man sighed and took a seat: Johnson sitting down across from him.  He produced what looked like a data chip and tossed it to him.  That action alone surprised him, as he was certain this chip had some kind of intel on it and ONI didn’t just toss this stuff to anyone.  “I am trying to find the rightful owner to that.”  The man explained. 

Johnson blinked in mild confusion.  “Doing a public service?  That is unlike you guys,”  He remarked.  “You may want to elaborate a bit….” 

The man sighed again.  “About eight years ago this chip was salvaged from the remains of a destroyed Elite ship,”  He began.  “Its contents were heavily encrypted, so naturally we thought it must have some good information on it.  Turned out we were quite wrong:  we discovered it contained nothing more then the dying words of an Elite.” 

“A warrior’s last words,”  Johnson said quietly.  “So this was likely meant to be a message to surviving family.” 

The ONI man nodded.  “Naturally this sort of thing held no value to us and was slated to be destroyed.  However, someone apparently had the heart and the foresight to hold on to it for all these years.  Now I am trying to find the family of this Elite, as a matter of respect for our allies.” 

“If any of his family still lives,”  Johnson said, taking a puff on his cigar.  “What’s the name of the speaker?  Just curious.” 

“’Tidumee,”  The man replied.  “No first name was found on it.  So far, every Elite I asked did not know the guy.” 

“I think it’s because you are aiming too _low_ on the Elite rank structure,”  Johnson pointed out.  “You would have better luck asking a Zealot.”  Suddenly it hit him and Johnson stared at the chip.  _Could it be?_   He thought. 

“What is wrong Ambassador?”  The man asked. 

“I think I may know someone from this guy’s surviving family,”  Johnson replied.  “If I am remembering how they structure their surnames right.”  

“The ‘Ti’ would be a descriptive adjective and the ‘dum’ would be the family name,”  The ONI man said.  “And the ‘ee’ was a symbol of being in the Covenant military, which of course no living Elite now uses.” 

“Uh huh…that makes me almost positive I know who this guy is,”  Johnson said, grinning.  “I’ll take it from here son.” 

“But….” 

“Listen kid, I am likely going to end up going to Sangheilios anyway from the way our leadership is squawking: their homeworld would be the best place to look anyway.  Besides, if I am wrong on the identity, then the Arbiter would be in the best position to find the real owner.” 

“I…you are correct Ambassador,”  The ONI man said with a sigh.  “I will tell my superiors that the matter has been taken care of.” 

Johnson watched as the ONI spook left and returned his gaze to the chip in his hand.  _Halfy?  Am I looking at the last words of your old man?_


	25. Haggling

Hyso checked to see if his plasma rifle was fully charged for the fifth time in the last ten minutes.  He couldn’t help but feel nervous; being alone on this derelict gas mine with the only means of escape was his personal ship.  The High Councilor was supposed to be on a vacation trip, which is what he told the rest of the Council and was indeed what he was going to do after this meeting.  Provided that is, he survived the meeting. 

A part of him wondered if it was a good idea not to have any guards with him for this.  _No choice,_   He reminded himself.  _No one else can know I am having this meeting,_   Besides Kesi himself of course, whom was the other member of this little meeting he was waiting on.  If he came at all.  _Or does not decide just to eliminate me by blowing up this mine._  

No, Kesi liked being personal with his enemies when it came to eliminating them.  This meant that if he intended to kill him, he would send in his men or even come himself, which would mean he would at least have a chance of escape.  Perhaps by some luck he would kill Kesi himself:  now that would raise the amount of respect the public had for him now wouldn’t it?  Plus, it would remove the Arbiter’s main source of political pull to gain power. 

It was tempting, so tempting, just to kill the pirate when he showed up.  Yet, deep in his hearts, he knew the Arbiter would just find something else to try to undermine him.  So, no, the pirate leader was worth more alive for now, at least until the Arbiter was taken care of.  After all, Kesi was the only one that got so close to killing the Arbiter before. 

The sound of a door opening in the distance made him jump and check his weapon once again.  For some reason he recalled the report of the Threshold gas mine at this moment, recalling how the heretics there had tried to use the Flood to stop the Arbiter and the SpecOps forces from killing their leader.  Could there be more of that wretched parasite on this mine?  He had never fought the Flood, but he had heard enough about it from survivors to give him the shivers. 

The lights on the door into the very room he was in flashed then slid open, revealing the pirate leader himself and a small group of his cronies.  “I see you decided to actually come old man,”  Kesi said, a sly grin on his mandibles.  “Unless I am talking to a hologram…,”  The pirate’s remaining eye narrowed dangerously and Hyso spotted his hand going for his weapon. 

“I assure you that I am flesh and blood,”  Hyso said calmly.  “And that this is no trap, Kesi ‘Musavee.” 

“Just ‘Musav.”  Kesi corrected him, removing his hand from his weapon. 

Hyso raised a brow at that.  “I thought you were one of those that refused to alter their name after our separation from the Covenant?”  He asked curiously. 

“I was,”  Kesi confirmed.  “But I only kept it out of the honor it was to be a member of our species.  Yet now that I am an outcast from our society, I felt there was no point in keeping it as it was.” 

“I see,”  Hyso tapped a mandible with a claw, wondering how he could use that information.  “Perhaps there is some way I can…remedy that, find a way for you to be accepted into our society again?” 

Kesi snorted, almost seemed to laugh.  “So long as our people ally themselves with a food source, I want no part of it.”  He said bluntly. 

 _Ah yes…I had forgotten that little detail._   Hyso thought.  “I am afraid there is little I can do about that Kesi, not so long as the Arbiter lives.” 

“A fact I am well aware of,”  Kesi growled.  “Yet I have a feeling the Arbiter is the reason of our little…unauthorized meeting.” 

“Quite perceptive,”  Hyso replied.  “He is becoming a threat to the Council itself.” 

It was Kesi’s turn to raise a brow.  “Do elaborate.”  He said. 

“As you are no doubt aware, the public on both the human and Sangheili side adore him,” Hyso explained.  “So much so that some are starting to whisper that it should be _he_ that rules our people.” 

“Ahhh, I think I see where you are going,” Kesi said, a faint, sly tone in his voice.  “You fear being ousted from your position due to this… _popularity_ contest.” 

Hyso felt himself flinch despite his resolve, the pirate leader guessing exactly at the truth.  “It is not just myself I am concerned about,”  He said, trying his best to remain calm.  “I worry for the other Councilors as well.” 

“How selfless of you.”  Kesi mocked, obviously not believing him for a moment but going along with it. 

“And our people as a whole,”  Hyso continued.  “One man having that much power can be dangerous, catastrophic even.  This has been proven during our ancient history and is the reason we have a Council of many ruling our people and not one person.  If the Arbiter gains sole power, it would lead our people to ruin!” 

“So what do you intend to do about it?” Kesi asked coolly. 

“That is where you come in,” Hyso said boldly.  “I know he has a personal vendetta against you, since you _did_ nearly kill him twice.  However, no one believes it, or thinks it’s understandable due to your…activities.

“What I need is a reason for him to go completely overboard, to prove he is not fit for his station.  When that happens, I can move to have him removed from his station as the Arbiter and he will be a nobody with no name.” 

\-- 

Kesi listened with mild interest to the old man’s rambling, keeping his expression neutral.  “Quite interesting,”  Kesi said when the old man was finished.  “Yet what do I get out of this?  As it stands, I have no reason to go after him, since you and the other Councilors are doing such a wonderful job keeping a leash on him.” 

At that moment one of his lackeys leaned toward him.  “But Shipmaster, what about that change of escort tactics?”  The lackey whispered in his ear. 

“We have no proof it was him that ordered it.” Kesi growled to him in a whisper.  _Yet, this would be a good test to see if the old man knows about it._   “Though it does seem he has started to go behind your back on certain matters….” He told Hyso. 

“What!?”  The elder Sangheili’s face turned purple: that was proof enough he had nothing to do with it. 

“Lately my raids have been…less then successful due to a kind of ‘distant guard’ tactic the fleets have cooked up.  I suspect the Arbiter’s hand in this, since he does have contacts within the fleet.  However…,”  Kesi shrugged.  “I have no solid proof of this.” 

“He must be behind that,”  Hyso growled, his face still purple.  “He is the only one that would _dare_ to do so!” 

“But without proof you cannot really act upon it, can you?” Kesi said with a grin.  “For all we know, the fleets decided this on their own.” 

“I seriously doubt it,”  Hyso hissed, now starting to pace.  “When I get back I shall investigate this….” 

“That may not be a good idea,” Kesi cautioned.  Hyso looked at him with a questioning look.  “It would be obvious that you did not find out about this through…legal means,”  Kesi pointed out.  “If people even suspect you spoke with me, what little public respect you have left will no doubt plummet, which would only help the Arbiter’s cause, correct?” 

Hyso winced and Kesi grinned, enjoying how easy it was to get to this man.  “You have a point.  Surely, though, this hampers your operation.”  Hyso said. 

“It does, but perhaps we can come to…an agreement.”  Kesi said. 

“Do go on.”  Hyso said. 

“I am starting a little colony of my own,”  Kesi explained, ignoring the gasps of surprise from his cohorts.  Hyso himself turned more purple but only nodded for him to continue.  “The raids I do are to keep that colony supplied.  We are almost self sufficient in the food and water area, but some things will take a lot longer to become stable on.  Medical supplies, weapons, and so on.” 

“You want a legal means to get those supplies and for me to turn the other way about this…unofficial colony.”  Hyso said, a faint growl in his voice. 

“I am more concerned about the ‘looking the other way’ part then the legal supply,” Kesi admitted with a shrug.  “I am finding raiding a bit too much fun and _certain_ food items cannot exactly be… _grown_ or domesticated anyway.” 

“Humans.” 

“Correct, you catch on quickly.” 

“So this is what you want in exchange for dealing with the Arbiter.” 

“Oh no…,” Kesi said slyly.  “This is to ensure our little meeting remains a secret.” 

\--- 

Hyso straightened up in shock.  How dare he try to blackmail him!  _No matter, I still have one more trick up my sleeve._   He thought, gritting his mandibles. 

“So you will not go after the Arbiter?” Hyso said. 

“If I did, the public outcry would be immense and I would have every ship in both the human and Sangheili fleets on my ass,” Kesi said with a helpless shrug.  “Thus that would go against your plans now would it not?  So the answer is no.” 

Hyso gritted his mandibles more, thinking about how to word this.  “Do you not have a daughter?”  He asked. 

Kesi raised a brow.  “A disowned one,” He confirmed.  “If you think you can try to get at me through her you are mistaken, especially since she would be dead by now.” 

 _Ahhh, perfect, he does not know she is alive._   Hyso thought, grinning now.  “I beg to differ,” He told him.  “I have discovered that she is not only alive, but the Arbiter himself is the one that saved her life.” 

Kesi’s eye widened in mild shock, but he quickly recomposed himself.  “So she lives, she is still disowned and means nothing to me.” 

“But she still carries your blood, does she not?”  Hyso pointed out.  “And from what I heard, you still have yet to sire another child, meaning she is the only one that can carry on your line.” 

The pirate’s eyes narrowed dangerously.  “Get to the point old man….” 

Hyso grinned and pulled out a data module and activated it.  “I have had her under surveillance for the past month.”  Hyso told him as the holographic form of Sari came to life:  at the moment it was a scene on the streets, Sari arm in arm with a male in civilian clothing.  He watched Kesi’s expression start to darken. 

“Who is that male?”  He demanded. 

“You do not recognize him?  I am surprised…,”  Hyso teased as he pressed a few buttons on the module and the street scene disappeared.  “Ok, not really, as he is not easily recognizable when in civilian clothing.  Perhaps you can recognize him here.”  A new scene popped up, this time it was a distant shot of a home.  The hologram zoomed in on the balcony where two figures were cuddling.  One was obviously Sari and the other had the Mark of Shame on his chest. 

Kesi turned a very dark purple and roared in fury.  Both his minions jumped back in surprise and Hyso took a step back as well:  he had expected him to get angry at this knowledge, but this outburst was better then he had expected.  “How old is that!?”  Kesi demanded. 

“I told you, these were taken over the course of the last month,”  Hyso replied.  “And it was quite difficult to get images of them being cuddly.  The Arbiter obviously knows how much of a firestorm it would be if the public discovered he was dating a pirate’s daughter.  It is highly possible that they have gone…further…in their relationship then what my surveillance has uncovered.” 

“How _dare_ he…,” Kesi hissed.  “How dare he move to taint _my_ bloodline!” 

“There is still a chance to prevent it,”  Hyso said slyly.  “Remove her from his care and not only would you preserve your bloodline, but cause the Arbiter to go overboard in his personal vendetta against you and thus help me.” 

“And how am I to do that!?”  Kesi growled.  “I cannot even get _near_ Sangheilios.” 

“I can provide false IDs and the Arbiter’s meeting schedule.  She does not leave the house when he is not with her, so that would be the best time to…reclaim her,”  Hyso said.  “In return, our meeting will _remain_ a secret and I will turn a blind eye to this little colony of yours.” 

Kesi glared at him for a long moment.  Finally, he said.  “You have a deal.”


	26. Unexpected Find

Sari did not feel like cooking, so they decided to eat out for a change, so the pair dressed in casuals, and promised Vl’asuna they would bring something back for her before leaving.  The Arbiter chose a small restaurant that was a combination of a diner and bar which was located close to the merchant district.  It was a clean, respectable place where people could bring their families while the adults could still drink if they wanted, so long as they didn’t start to get rowdy.  Those that did were promptly tossed out on the streets by the staff. 

“I was expecting a place a bit more…elegant.”  Sari remarked as the Arbiter parked. 

“The most elegant places are where the high class and nobility go,”  The Arbiter explained.  “And where I would be _expected_ to go.” 

“Ah, more of that low profile thing then.”  Sari said with a smirk. 

“Exactly.” 

The pair entered the establishment and paused for a moment to look for suitable seating.  To the Arbiter’s surprise, he thought he saw a couple of familiar faces seated in a booth close to the bar.  When they got closer, his suspicions were confirmed:  it was none other then Rtas ‘Vadum himself, sitting beside Ella ‘Issal.  Rtas looked like he had one too many, while Ella looked like she could use a few more going by the bruises on her head. 

“I am surprised to see you _both_ here,”  The Arbiter said with a smirk as he and Sari stood beside the table.  “Mind if we join you?” 

“Not at all Azu.”  Ella said cheerfully, though he could hear the slight pain in her voice. 

“Hey there….beautiful….where’vvvve you been my…life….”  Rtas slurred, staring solidly at Sari as the pair sat down across from them. 

“Is…getting him drunk part of his treatment?”  The Arbiter asked, disapproving of his friend’s behavior. 

“Oh no, we are celebrating the success of his treatment,”  Ella replied proudly, elbowing him to get him to stop staring at Sari.  This only resulted in the Shipmaster to start leaning to one side and Ella had to grab him by the arm and pull him upright before he toppled into the aisle.  “And the start of a more…proper…relationship between us.” 

“Congratulations.”  Sari said with a smile. 

“Aye, he deserves to be with a good woman such as yourself,”  The Arbiter agreed, nodding his head.  “Though I wished you had told me you were going to celebrate in this manner before hand.  I would have warned you that our dear Shipmaster rarely drinks and would not be able to handle it too well.” 

“I am starting to wish that as well,”  Ella said with a sigh.  “He had only two and he is already acting like an old veteran with a whole gallon in him.” 

“I am not old….,”  Rtas protested.  “I….I….,” His face contorted into one of confusion.  “I don’t know…..” 

“I certainly hope those bruises are not the result of a…drunken rampage on his part.”  The Arbiter said, a note of concern in his voice. 

“These?”  Ella pointed at the bruises on her head.  “Oh no…these are from that _darling_ sister of his.” 

“Sister?”  The Arbiter blinked at the two of them in mild surprise.  “He has a sister?” 

“Older half-sister to be precise,”  Ella replied, snarling slightly.  “She was the reason he developed the phobia.  From what he told me about her, I have every reason to believe she is the same ‘Gala’ that you mentioned over a month ago.” 

The Arbiter snarled.  “Such a small world.  If I had known of this that day, I really would have snapped that wench’s neck.” 

“Yeah, she gave me these while trying to get me to tell her where Rtas was, was going to kill me if I did not tell her,”  Ella continued.  “Fortunately, Rtas was able to beat back his fear to save my life and scare her off.” 

“Kicked….her….asssss…..”  Rtas slurred, who was now partly slumped over the table making designs with a bit of spilled drink with a claw. 

Ella ignored him as she continued.  “Got out of the hospital a couple hours ago.  Damn doctors forced me to stay over night for ‘observation reasons’.  Rtas stayed with me the whole time.” 

“An incredible achievement.”  The Arbiter said. 

“I think…his feelings for me helped out a lot,”  Ella confessed, blushing faintly as she rubbed Rtas’ back.  “I believe that is why he made such quick progress: most phobic’s take months of therapy.  So…how are you doing?  It appears you two may be an item now.” 

“Over a month now,”  Sari replied, smiling as she nuzzled the Arbiter.  The Arbiter leaned down and returned it, adding a couple of light nips to her neck.  “Azu!”  She scolded him. 

“I see it has likely progressed past the just ‘cuddling’ phase,”  Ella said with a sly smile.  “Should I expect to hear the patter of little hooves soon?” 

“Someday,”  The Arbiter admitted, pulling Sari close.  “No rush.” 

“You sure?”  Sari teased.  “Considering your actions over the last day or so?” 

“Hush…my little pearl,”  He whispered softly into her ear.  “Unless you desire a bit here and now.” 

“You are so _naughty_ Azu.”  Sari giggled. 

“Babbbies…,”  Rtas mumbled.  “I’d like one…or two…dozen…even….” 

“Great…now you got his mind on _that_ track.”  Ella said in mock exasperation. 

“Should make for an interesting night for you then.”  The Arbiter said with grin. 

“Bah…It is too soon for that.  I may have to lock my door tonight.” 

“You do know that having him eat something _before_ drinking alcohol helps lessen the effects right?” 

Ella blinked at him for a long moment.  “Hun…he _did_ eat something before he had those two drinks!” 

It was the Arbiter’s turn to blink in shock.  “We need to work on his alcohol tolerance then….” 

“Azu...,”  Sari said as she picked up one of the empty bottles of the beverage Rtas drank.  “I think it has more to do with _what_ he drank, not when in this case.” 

The Arbiter studied the label and then sighed.  It was none other then _Gitri Stoku_ , the strongest alcoholic beverage on the market.  “He is going to have the worst hang over….”  He groaned.

\-- 

Johnson was heading to his quarters to turn in for the night after a long day of doing nothing at all.  He supposed it could have been worse, such as having to attend boring political meetings or social functions.  The only productive thing he did do today was _relieving_ that data chip off the ONI spook, so he took this as a good day.  When he reached the door to his quarters, he reached to punch in his code, only to come into contact with something invisible and slightly hard. 

“If you poked me just a little lower I may have to start questioning which way you lean.”  A deep voice boomed above him.  Johnson jumped back as the air in front of him shimmered and a familiar black and purple armored Spec Ops Elite materialized in front of him. 

“Zeno!”  Johnson scolded.  “I _hate_ it when you do that!  Give an old man a heart attack why don’t you?” 

The Elite just straightened and folded his arms, a smug look on his face.  “I just love the look on your face each time.”  He said. 

“Yeah well one of these days I’ll figure out that you are there and you’ll be feeling my steel-toed boot in your crotch!” 

“That is provided you can kick that high.”  Zeno said smugly.  For an Elite, Zeno ‘Ribal was big:  nearly nine feet tall. 

“Yeah well, we will just have to wait and see now won’t we?”  Johnson sighed as he stepped around the Elite to unlock his door.  “I suppose you got some juicy bits for me?  It’s the only reason you usually come to bug me at this hour.” 

“The only ‘juicy bit’ I have uncovered is that you seemed to have stumbled upon something that belongs to one of my people.”  Zeno said, his expression turning a bit serious. 

It took a moment for Johnson to register what he was talking about.  “Ah yes the chip from that ONI spook.”  He said as he walked into his quarters, Zeno following him in, though having to stoop and step side ways to get in due to his size.  “I am surprised you did not pounce on me about it the moment I parted ways with that guy.” 

“If I had done that, I would have had to explain to your High Command on why their Ambassador was suddenly a lot thinner.”  Zeno said with a broad grin. 

“Smart ass!”  Johnson groaned.  “You know I don’t mean _literally_!” 

“But of course,”  Zeno confirmed, scratching the base of one of his mandibles.  “I was going to confront that man myself once I was certain what he was up to, however you beat me to it.  I only waited to speak to you about the matter because I knew it would be safe in your capable hands.  Besides, it gave me an excuse to due what I just did a few minutes ago.” 

“Quit with the eloquent stuff will ya?”  Johnson said as he picked up a bottle of brandy and poured himself a glass. 

“I fail to see why I should,”  Zeno said, tilting his head to one side.  “I _know_ you did not have any meetings that would otherwise cause you to have brain fatigue.” 

“And now I know you are doing it on purpose,”  Johnson scowled, to which Zeno just grinned.  “It’s the end of the day and I am nearly dead on my feet from boredom: those are reasons enough not to want to have to shift through your eloquent talk.  You want any of this?” 

“No thank you.  Your kind’s alcohol does not do me justice.”  The Elite sauntered over to a couch and sat down. 

“What?  Too strong for ya?” 

“Not strong enough.”  The Elite was grinning again. 

“Hmm…You will have to bring me some of what you guys drink when you get a chance.” 

“I would rather not,”  Zeno said with a frown.  “The ratio of alcohol in our drinks would cause a low body massed person such as yourself to almost immediately keel over from alcohol poisoning.” 

“Sounds like something I would want after one of my bad days,”  Johnson grumbled as he sat in a chair across from him.  “Hear anything about whether or not High Command is going to send me on a field trip to your homeworld?” 

“Nothing definitive I am afraid,”  Zeno said with a helpless shrug.  “Your high officials seem to have learned to talk in more hushed tones whenever I am near the room.” 

“So much for Halfy’s best Recon troop,”  Johnson teased.  Zeno was the second highest ranking Spec Ops Elite and unofficially Rtas’ second-in-command.  His talent for gathering intel, however, resulted in him being sent out almost constantly on Recon missions.  In fact, his recent stationing here on Cairo Station was likely the first real break the Elite has had.  From what Johnson had noticed, the Elite seemed very interested in human culture, to the point of partaking in some of it himself.  Johnson was certain Rtas would not approve of the tattoos Zeno had on his person now.  “You have active camo, use it!” 

“Ah but I figured I should give them some kind of chance to thwart me,”  Zeno replied with another one of his grins before changing the subject.  “Now…this chip…,” He said, leaning forward.  “I am guessing you know something of its contents from your brief discussion with the…spook…as you call them.” 

“From what the spook told me, it contains the last words of an Elite that died some eight years ago during the war,”  Johnson said, fishing the chip out of his pocket and looking at it a moment before handing it to Zeno.  “He was trying to find one of you that may have known the guy, but the idiot was only talking to Minors.” 

“Which would have resulted in a frustrating, fruitless search,”  Zeno agreed, studying the chip.  Johnson was half expecting Zeno to take out a device to read the disk, but apparently, he knew better then that.  “That you all but forced it from his hands tells me you suspect who it belongs to.” 

Johnson nodded as he said.  “’Tidumee is the name of the owner.  From what I know of how you guys name each other, I suspect this could be Halfy’s relative.” 

“Sire, actually,”  Zeno confirmed suddenly.  “Anko ‘Tidumee is his full name.  He was Spec Ops Commander before our dear Commander ‘Vadum.  I had only been in the Spec Ops for roughly a year before he was killed during an ill-advised mission, but it was long enough to learn to greatly respect the man. 

“Commander ‘Vadum loved his father dearly and that he never got to hear his father’s last words hurt him terribly.  He was reluctant to take his father’s place actually, but the Prophets insisted upon it, saying he was the most qualified for the position.” 

“Well then, maybe this will heal those wounds.”  Johnson said softly. 

“It depends on the contents,” Zeno cautioned.  “He does very well in hiding it, but I know he is a troubled man and not just because of his father’s passing.” 

“Ol’Halfy has skeletons in the closet?”  Johnson asked. 

Zeno’s brows furrowed as it took him a moment to catch the meaning of the phrase.  “In a sense, but even if I knew what those _skeletons_ were I would not reveal them out of respect for the Commander.” 

“The way you talk about him sometimes it makes me wonder if you two are closer then you admit.” 

Zeno let out a deep throaty laugh.  “I have great respect and admiration for the man yes, but he is not my type for _that_ sort of thing,”  He laughed again when he saw Johnson’s mildly disgusted look.  “Keep this,”  Zeno handed him the chip back.  “As it stands you will be better able to get this to the Commander, for unless someone tells me otherwise, I am not returning to our homeworld any time soon.” 

“Awww you are just afraid he would shoot the messenger.”  Johnson said as he put the chip back in his pocket. 

“Actually, he would more likely envelope you in a bone crushing hug of gratitude in this case.” 

Johnson winced at that.  “I think I’d rather take getting shot…thank you.”


	27. Hangover

Rtas woke up literally feeling like shit: the berserk Brutes were back in his head having their fun and his stomach felt like someone filled it with needles.  _That is the last time I drink_ Gitri Stoku, _ever!_   He thought with a moan as he buried his head under the pillow, the few lights that were on in the room too bright for his eyes right now. 

“I see my sleeping beauty has awakened,”  A familiar voice said.  He grunted in response:  did her voice have to be so loud?  “How are you feeling?” 

“Like I have been run over by a gang of hyper Unggoys,”  Rtas mumbled. 

“Well, at least it is not Brutes, right?” 

“Oh they are having their turn in my head right now.” 

“Figured as much,”  He heard Ella say.  “I put some painkillers on the stand on your side of the bed before turning in last night.” 

Rtas pulled his head from under the pillow and spotted the medication.  Eagerly, he scooped it up and consumed it.  Only once the Brutes had calmed down did he catch on.  “’My’ side of the bed?”  He asked looking at Ella, whom was still under the covers herself, though he could see she was wearing a nightgown.  “I…I thought it was a bit soon for that….” 

“Hun, you were drunk last night,”  Ella told him as she moved closer to him and embraced him. 

He savored the warmth of her body on his back and the feel of her hands on his chest: oh how he had longed for this.  “I did not do anything….embarrassing…last night, did I?” Rtas asked softly.  “My memory of last night is really fuzzy.” 

“You were surprisingly well behaved for a drunk at the restaurant,” Ella replied.  “Though you did hit on Sari a little bit when she and the Arbiter joined us.” 

“I am surprised he did not knock me on my ass for that,”  Rtas mumbled, feeling himself blush a little. 

“He knew you were not…yourself,”  Ella said as she nuzzled his neck.  “Though once we got home things did get a little interesting….” 

“We did not….mate….did we?”  Rtas asked, sitting up.  “I would have wanted to remember that….” 

“No, but you _did_ strip and run around the house naked, giggling like a crazed loon for about a half hour,”  Ella said with a smirk.  

Rtas felt his face become hot and he was certain he was purple now as well.  “Dear gods…please tell me that was the worse I did….” 

“It was,”  Ella reassured him.  “After you exhausted yourself, you came in here and promptly fell asleep.” 

“I am surprised you did not sleep in the other room instead.” 

“Well…I have to admit I could not resist the chance to snuggle.”  Ella’s face turned slightly purple. 

“Taking advantage of a poor, drunk, unconscious Sangheili….shame on you,”  Rtas scolded. 

“But you looked so _adorable_ like that,”  Ella countered with a grin. 

Rtas sighed and shook his head.  “Anything else happen besides me making a fool out of myself?”  He asked. 

“Well apparently not only are the Arbiter and Sari an official couple now, they seem to be trying for children.” 

“Already?  Sheesh,”  Rtas said, blinking in mild surprise.  “Though I suppose I should not be so surprised.  The Arbiter had told me once that he wanted to start a family again some day.” 

“Again?”  Ella queried. 

“When he was branded a heretic, his wife at the time could not take the shame and killed their son,”  Rtas explained with a heavy sigh.  “She was executed for her crime not long after the war ended.” 

“That is horrible…,”  Ella said.  “It must have devastated him.” 

“It did,”  Rtas confirmed.  “For a while I was not certain he would be able to pull himself back together.  He eventually did, but I could tell he still suffered from time to time.  I think meeting Sari has helped him finally heal that wound completely.” 

Ella nodded in agreement and the pair were silent for a moment.  “You know…,”  She said somewhat lazily.  “You never did tell me how you got _this_ scar.”  She ran her hand over the burn scar on his abdomen. 

“ _That_ one I would rather not tell anyone about,”  Rtas said stiffly. 

“Surely there are some that know about it.” 

“Only the two responsible for giving it to me and they are under the threat of death if they utter a word.” 

“Hmmm…must have been a really embarrassing event for you to go to that kind of trouble to keep it secret,”  Ella traced the edge of the scar lightly with a claw.  “Obviously a burn scar, but not obtained during combat.  A training accident perhaps?” 

“No.  Please drop it.  I am not going to tell,”  Rtas pulled away from her and flipped onto his stomach. 

“Tell me Rtas,”  Ella said as he felt her run her hand up and down his back.  “What would be more embarrassing?  Telling me about that scar…or people finding out about your streak fest last night?” 

Rtas turned toward her abruptly, his eyes wide in horror.  “You would not!”  To which Ella just grinned slyly.  “Evil woman…alright…,”  Rtas sat up again, but had his back to her.  “Two Minors, a lighter and one of them has bad gas problems.  I think you can figure it out from there.” 

Ella was quiet for a moment as she worked it out.  “Ooooh…,”  She said when she got it.  “You walked in at just the right time.” 

“Indeed,”  Rtas grumbled. 

“No wonder you did not want anyone to know,”  He felt Ella slip her hands around his waist.  “Do not worry, I will not tell anyone.” 

“Mmmm…,”  Rtas closed his eyes and savored her touch.  “You are being awfully touchy feely today….” 

“Well you are obviously enjoying it,”  Ella replied.  “Besides, after getting a full view of you last night I cannot seem to get enough of you.” 

“Really?  So when are _you_ going to return the favor?”  Rtas asked with a smirk. 

“All in good time my dear….” 

“What if I do not want to wait?” 

“Unless you want to be kicked out of the house I think you will be a _very_ patient man.” 

“Now that is just cruel.” 

“Well…it is your fault:  you were the one that got drunk last night.” 

“Maybe I should get _you_ drunk then.” 

“Not going to happen, especially now that you have just warned me.” 

“Dammit!” 

\-- 

Tala walked into the infirmary, her right arm hanging limp due to dislocation and a few nice gashes along her left leg.  Telo ‘Kalim, the ships lone medical officer, looked up from his console and sighed when he saw her.  “What set him off this time?”  The younger male asked as he ushered her toward one of the beds. 

“Not entirely certain this time,”  Tala grumbled.  “He was upset about something big, but what it is I cannot even start to guess beyond it had something to do with that meeting with one of his contacts earlier.” 

“Is that not odd in on itself?”  Telo asked as he cleaned and started to stitch up the wounds on her leg.  “He never meets a contact face to face from what you have told me.” 

“Yes,”  Tala admitted, wincing occasionally due to pain.  “From what I was able to gather, the meeting took place on an abandoned gas mine.  In regards to who he was meeting, he kept that to himself, like he did not want anyone else on the crew to know about it save for those that are the loyalist to him.” 

“You think he may be starting to suspect a mole?”  Telo asked. 

“I do not know,”  Tala said quietly.  “Granted, I have not really needed to mess around with the systems much as of late thanks to the Loyalists new tactic in protecting their supply ships.” 

“Indeed,”  Telo grunted as he finished off the stitching on one wound and moved to the next.  “The numbers of causalities I have had to see have increased and Kesi still expects me to treat them all at once.” 

“At least last time he lost a couple of Phantom’s worth of troops,”  Tala said bitterly. 

“A drop in the bucket compared to how many he has on the ship,”  Telo said with a sigh. 

“Yes, but it still means fewer that will want to partake in eating those poor humans,”  Tala pointed out, to which Telo shuddered. 

“How many of them are left?”  He asked quietly. 

“Last I checked, roughly ten,”  Tala replied.  “I do what I can to assure them I am trying to think of a way to get them out of here, but I can tell their spirits are all but completely broken.  Some of them keep asking me for a weapon so they could just end it.” 

“I do not blame them,”  Telo grumbled as he finished stitching and moved to her shoulder.  “Sitting in that cell, wondering if you are going to the cooking pot next…I would go insane.” 

“I may, however, have figured out a means of escape,” Tala said. 

Telo perked up at the sound of that.  “Do tell….” 

“It is risky, but I think it is possible to steal a Phantom and drive it out of the hanger bay while the ship is doing a slipspace jump.” 

Telo’s face drained of color.  “Are you nuts?”  He asked.  “The pressure wave from the slipspace portal would destroy a Phantom that was too close to it and that is _if_ you can get out of the hanger bay due to the shields!” 

“A slipspace drive has a recharge time after each use,”  Tala explained.  “If a ship has to make a jump quickly after a previous jump, they turn off all non-essential functions to help speed up the recharge and stay off until the jump is complete.  That is what I noticed during the last few raid attempts.” 

“Yes…I have as well,”  Telo mumbled.  “Lights and gravity are what I noticed gets turned off.  Kind of hard to treat a patient when you are both floating in zero gravity.  However, I do not believe shielding would be on the list of ‘non-essential’ functions they would turn off, especially if they were in a combat situation!  And even if you did succeed in getting off the ship without the pressure wave destroying the Phantom, any enemy ships in the area would blast you to pieces!

“Oh…and need I remind you that even if you managed to do this without all that, a Phantom has no slipspace drive?  If a friendly ship does not come around in a few hours or if you are not near a habitable planet….” 

“I am aware of all the risks Telo,”  Tala growled, shutting him up.  “Suicidal I know it is, but…,”  She paused a moment.  “Would not dying free be preferable to staying here?”  Telo did not answer, the young male instead turning his head away from her gaze.  “Besides,” She continued quickly.  “Even if it meant our deaths, it would be a chance to get critical information to the Loyalists.” 

“You mean…the location of the colony.” 

Tala nodded.  “The Council would _have to_ take action on that,”  She said with a smile.  “They would not like the thought of an unofficial colony out there.  A Loyalists raid there would set him back greatly.” 

“These are all big ‘ifs’ Tala,”  Telo reminded her.  “So much can go wrong.” 

“Which is why…the timing must be just right,”  Tala said as she forced him to look at her.  “When the time comes Telo, you must be ready to act.” 

“M…m…me!?”  Telo said, his eyes widening. 

“Yes you,”  Tala confirmed.  “I cannot leave: someone must stay behind to continue to hamper Kesi.  It will be up to you to get the prisoners to the Phantom and escape.” 

“Th…there is no way I can…” 

“Telo, you can do it,”  She said gently, touching the side of his face.  “This would be your chance to be a hero and bring honor to your name again,”  Telo was silent for a long moment, Tala seeing the doubt and fear in his eyes.  

“Are you…going to tell the humans of this?”  He asked. 

“There is a chance we may not have the opportunity to do this before all the humans are dead,”  She said grimly.  “So no, I will not.  There is too much risk one of Kesi’s lackeys will over hear or one of the human’s themselves bragging about it.” 

“The morale boost it would give them would be dangerous in other words,”  Telo said, understanding.  “This will hurt….” 

Tala grabbed a pillow and shoved it between her mandibles to stifle the scream of pain she cried when Telo pushed her shoulder back into place.  After the pain subsided a bit she moved the arm around, testing it.  “Thank you Telo,”  She said.  “I should go before Kesi starts wondering where I disappeared to.  Until next time….” 

“Good luck Tala…,”  She heard Telo said as she walked out the door. 

 _I will need it…,_ Tala thought.  _We both will._


	28. Johnson

The Arbiter yawned as he shifted his weight to the other leg, wishing he was in bed, rather then in this hanger.  _He chose this time to arrive specifically to annoy me I bet._   He thought idly, adding this to his list of things he does not like about Ambassador Johnson.  As to why the human Ambassador was coming, well that was obvious:  the humans had gotten fed up with the Sangheili Council in regards to dealing with Kesi and sent Johnson here in hopes of kicking them in gear.  The Arbiter doubted Johnson would have any effect whatsoever on the Council, but it was still a statement of disappointment.  

Behind him, he could hear one of the Honor Guards yawn and couldn’t help but smirk slightly at the embarrassment the male had to have felt because of it.  Honor Guards were not supposed to move without good reason to do so after all.  He wouldn’t punish him for the discrepancy however:  after all, it _was_ rather late and he was yawning himself.  

The familiar sound of a Pelican drew him out of his thoughts and he sighed with relief.  He could almost hear the mental sighs of relief from the Honor Guard Company as well as they watched the Pelican come in.  The pilot of the Pelican seemed a bit taken back at the size of the hanger before finally spotting where he or she was supposed to land.  Once the Pelican was settled, the Arbiter nodded to the Honor Guard for them to take up their positions. 

Honor Guards sprung into action and within seconds had taken up their places beside the exit hatch.  When the hatch opened, the Arbiter was mildly surprised to see a rather large Sangheili step out first.  He recognized the Sangeheili as a Spec Ops Officer due to his black and purple armor, whom stretched a bit before stepping aside to allow Ambassador Johnson to exit.  “You did that on purpose…,”  He heard Johnson snarl at the Spec Ops, whom just grinned.  In response, Johnson shoved his suitcase into his hands. 

“Ambassador Johnson,”  The Arbiter said, stepping forward.  “Welcome to Sangheilios.” 

“Hey there Arbiter,”  Johnson said with a sigh.  “Thanks, but I wish I didn’t have to be here.” 

“The same, at least due to the reasons you _are_ here for,”  The Arbiter said in agreement.  “I doubt the Council will listen….” 

“If they don’t listen to you then what chance do _I_ have?  At least that’s what I tried to explain to High Command,”  Johnson said with a sigh as he and the Arbiter started walking out of the hanger, the Spec Ops Officer following.  “Who knows, maybe a miracle will happen….” 

The Arbiter briefly turned toward the Honor Guard to signal that they were dismissed and watched briefly as they quickly disbursed.  “Perhaps,” He said, turning his attention back to Johnson.  “I am surprised you do not have the Spartan as your escort.” 

“The higher ups felt it wouldn’t be a good idea,”  Johnson explained.  “They felt there’d be too much of a risk some Elites here would want to take a shot at him.  Not that I feel much safer ya know?  I am certain some relative of an Elite I killed would want my ass on a platter.” 

“I am certain that, for as long as you are by the noble Arbiter’s side, you would not come to harm,”  The Spec Ops Officer said. 

“Well I _do_ feel safer with the Arbiter then around you Zeno.” 

“Ouch…I thought we were friends Johnson,”  Zeno said in mock sorrow. 

“Zeno…I trust you about as far as I can throw you.” 

The Arbiter chuckled quietly: he remembered who the Spec Ops Sangheili was now, Zeno ‘Ribal.  When he last dwelt with him, he was only a regular Spec Ops troop back during the Great Schism.  He also remembered hearing how he had something of a rebellious streak in him and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what he was ‘rebellious’ about him.  “I see ‘Vadum saw fit to promote you ‘Ribal,”  The Arbiter commented. 

“Aw, Arbiter, you remember me!”  Zeno said with a grin.  “Yes, my dear Commander did due to my efforts in helping him capture a Brute cruiser and other things.  Kept me busy doing recon and intelligence stuff since then.” 

“You are assigned to Cairo Station now, correct?” 

“That is correct Excellency,”  Zeno said.  “Not sure if it is because he has no other assignments for me or if he just wanted to keep me out of his metaphorical hair for a while.” 

“And into ours…,”  Johnson quipped. 

“Oh Johnson come on, I know you enjoy my company.” 

“I admit you keep me on my toes at times, but that is as far as I am going to go.” 

“Bah!  Oh well.  Speaking of the Commander, Arbiter, I was wondering where he lived so I can deliver an object of importance to him.” 

“’An object of importance’?”  The Arbiter echoed. 

“ONI had a data chip with what we believe are his father’s last words,”  Johnson explained.  

The Arbiter stopped in his tracks.  “You humans had it the entire time!?”  He exclaimed. 

“We were at war back then, remember?”  Johnson reminded him.  “ONI was snapping anything and everything that may be of value intelligence wise to us.  Hell, we were lucky they didn’t just dispose of the chip when they found out it had no intelligence on it at all.” 

“Recently, one of the ONI troops grew a heart and was attempting to find a surviving relative of the speaker when Johnson intercepted him,”  Zeno added.  “I was the one that verified who the speaker was and that Commander ‘Vadum is the surviving relative it needed to go to after Johnson…liberated….the chip from ONI hands.” 

The Arbiter sighed.  “You do not know how overjoyed he will be to receive this,”  He told them.  “This is something that has bothered him since his father’s death, though he rarely showed it.” 

“Then it will be an honor to give it to him,”  Zeno said bowing slightly.  “Once I learn where he lives that is….” 

“I would give you his apartment address, but as of late he has not been staying there,”  The Arbiter said as the trio started walking again.  “You will find him in the residence above Teko’s Parlor in the residential district.” 

“Tekos? I know where that is.  Oooooh…,”  Something must have clicked in Zeno’s mind as he got a very big grin.  “Let me guess, Teko’s daughter finally bagged him, I heard she had a major crush on him.” 

The Arbiter could not help but chuckle at that.  “You are correct there ‘Ribal.” 

“Awww shit…that’s right.  I get to see what your women look like now,”  Johnson muttered.  “How will I know the difference?  I mean…I doubt your girls have big knockers on their chests like human women do and I do not want to risk getting into some pain when I confuse someone for the wrong gender.” 

“The differences between Sangheili genders are much the same as it is between yours.”  Zeno replied.  “Though minus the ‘big knockers’ as you put it.  Usually shorter, slighter build with narrower shoulders: that sort of thing.  Our females however also tend to be paler in coloration then us males.” 

“Paler huh?  Then what’s the story with that Sani fella?”  Johnson said, referring to Sani ‘Hilvum, one of the Minor’s assigned to the _Shadow of Intent._   “He’s pretty pale and I know he’s a guy…unless he is hiding something from everyone.” 

“There are exceptions to every rule,”  The Arbiter said.  “’Hilvum’s ancestry likely came from either one of the more northern or southern provinces, where the light of our three suns is not so strong and thus do not require the dark skin tones the majority of the Sangheili in this region have.” 

“Ah, similar to how it was with humanity when we were still cavemen,”  Johnson mused.  “So…where are we going to stay?” 

“I _was_ going to have you stay at my place,”  The Arbiter said.  “But I was not expecting ‘Ribal to be with you.” 

“Do not worry about me Arbiter,”  Zeno said.  “I have my own place in town, though it likely is covered in tons of dust by now.” 

“Very well.” 

“Say…how is o’fuzzball doing?”  Johnson asked. 

“’Mura?  She is fine Johnson, though due to the season she cannot stand being outside during the day.” 

“Yeah…I can imagine three suns and a fur coat do not mix well.  Speaking of which, man it is hot….” 

“Actually it is slightly cool today…,”  Zeno quipped. 

“Shuddup….” 

\-- 

When they exited the space port they found a Sangheili equivalent of a limo waiting for them.  Due to the occasion, the Arbiter could not convince the Council to allow him to drive Johnson around, and so was forced to accept transportation.  After Zeno loaded Johnson’s suitcase in the back he took off on his own, much to Johnson’s relief the Arbiter noticed.  As they entered the vehicle, he made the mental note to ask Zeno sometime on how he had been causing mischief for the human.  “So…,” Johnson said after the Arbiter told the driver to take them to his residence.  “What have you been up to besides banging your head on the wall over politics?” 

“Not much to be honest,”  The Arbiter replied. 

“What, you mean you haven’t found yourself a pretty lady to hook up with yet?”  Johnson said, not believing him.  “I’d thought the Elite ladies would be all over you,”  Beside himself the Arbiter blushed and could not hide it from the human.  “Ha!  I knew it!  Ok, who is she?” 

“This conversation is not for here,”  The Arbiter said flatly.  “Besides, you will meet her when we arrive, provided she decided to wait up for me.” 

“Oh so you’re living together eh?  Well, so long as I don’t have to hear alien monkey business when I am trying to sleep…” 

The Arbiter snorted but did not respond.  Besides, they hadn’t felt the need to go to that level of intimacy for a few days now, though Johnson did not need to know that.  They were quiet the rest of the trip, exhaustion starting to claim them both.  “Ah, looks like she did stay up,”  The Arbiter muttered when they pulled up to his house, noticing one of the lights was still on. 

“Or she made sure to leave a light on so you wouldn’t bump into things when you went in,”  Johnson said with a slight smirk. 

Again, the Arbiter simply snorted as he exited the vehicle.  He waited only long enough for Johnson to climb out and retrieve his suitcase before heading for the front door.  Just as he reached it, he heard a cry of surprise from Johnson and he had a good guess as to why.  When he turned around his guess was confirmed when she saw Vl’asuna perched on top of the now prone Johnson. 

“I caught a would-be intruder Azu,”  The lipor said, a broad grin on her muzzle. 

“So I see,”  The Arbiter said with a smirk. 

“Yeah yeah, good to see you too ‘Mura…now get off me,”  Johnson grumbled. 

“Oh!  It is you Johnson,”  Vl’asuna said in mock apology as she jumped off him.  “I am sorry, I did not recognize you.  Must be because of all the grey hair….” 

“Very funny…,”  Johnson said as he picked himself off the ground and dusted himself off.  “Can we go in already?” 

The Arbiter chuckled as he unlocked the door and went in, Johnson right behind him.  Within moments, Sari made her appearance.  “I was wondering what was going on outside,”  She said as she and the Arbiter nuzzled each other.  “I take it ‘Mura gave our visitor her version of a welcome.” 

“That she did,”  The Arbiter said with a grin, to which Johnson just glared at him.  “Sari, this is Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, the Ambassador for the humans.  Johnson, this is my mate, Sari.” 

“A pleasure,”  Johnson said, visibly looking between the two of them.  Apparently, he was comparing the gender differences.  “When Zeno said your females were paler, I wasn’t expecting it to be by _that_ much….” 

“I am leucistic, so my coloration is not considered the norm,”  Sari explained. 

“Leuwhatits?” 

“It is similar to albinism,”  The Arbiter clarified. 

“Oh, I get it.  So how did you end up with grumpy here?” 

“It is a long story,”  The Arbiter replied for her, a faint hint of a snarl in his tone.  “And it is too late in the day to tell it now.  It is best that we head to bed for the night.” 

“Spoil sport,”  Johnson said with a mock pout.  “But alright, just direct me to my room and it better not be girlified!” 

Sari giggled as she replied.  “While it was my old room before Azu and I started sharing one bed, you can be rest assured that it has not been ‘girlified’ as you put it.  The room entrance is just down that hallway, first on the left.” 

“Thank you miss,”  Johnson said as he headed off in the direction she indicated.  After watching him to ensure he found it, the pair retreated to their own room. 

“So…,”  Sari said as she helped the Arbiter out of his armor.  “How long is he going to be staying here?” 

“A few days at least,”  The Arbiter replied with a sigh.  “Why?  Sick of him already?” 

“Oh no my love,”  Sari said with a giggle.  “I was just curious that is all.  Though I suppose this means those next few days will be filled with meetings.” 

“Aye, the first one is tomorrow afternoon,”  The Arbiter said with a groan.  “And I predict no headway given on the matters Johnson will be putting forth.  Especially on the Kesi matter.” 

“You never know,”  Sari said softly as they climbed into bed.  “Maybe his presence will make the Council come to their senses.” 

“I wish, but I fear as long as ‘Malic is head Councilor that will not happen.” 

Sari was quiet a moment before she asked.  “Why do you think he opposes hunting down Kesi so much?” 

“I wish I knew Sari…I really do.”


	29. Delivery

It was a slow day in the shop, so Ella and the other workers were just sitting around chatting as they waited for customers. Mostly current gossip, such as the word that the human Ambassador had come to the planet to try to talk some sense into the Council, though they doubted he’d be successful. “So Ella, how are you and Rtas doing?” Rena asked, changing the subject to something more pleasant. 

“He has practically moved in,” Ella said with a chuckle, the other two women ‘awing’ and giggling. “He has even brought some of his belongings over.” 

“Sounds like you got him around your finger good Ella,” Rena said teasingly. 

“Yes, but he still moves my furniture around to practice,” Ella said with a grunt. “Perhaps I should convert father’s old room into a practice room, considering he does not sleep in there anymore.” 

The other two gasped. “You two are sharing a bed _already_!?” Rena said, her eyes wide. “You have not done the nasty yet have you?” 

“Oh no, not yet,” Ella said with a smile. “We are only sharing a bed so soon due to the results of a drunken rampage of his one night.” 

“’Vadum drunk…that must have been a sight to see…” 

“Oh it was indeed…,” Ella’s grin broadened as she recalled Rtas’ little streak fest that night, but she did promise him she would not tell anyone. 

Before the others could ask any more prying questions, they heard the door to the shop open and someone walk in. Ella immediately stood up to address the customer and realized this man was not likely here for a pedicure as he was wearing his full suit of armor, SpecOps going by the coloration of said armor. She also thought he looked familiar. “Zeno is that you?” She asked, a slight smirk on her face. There weren’t many SpecOps that were as tall as he was _and_ wore black and purple armor. 

“Indeed it is Madam ‘Issal,” The male replied with a slight bow. “How have things been for you?” 

“Zeno, you know you can just call me ‘Ella’,” She said with a giggle. “Things have been up and down, though lately more on the upside. What can I help you with?” 

“I got a hot tip that my Commander was hiding here,” Zeno replied, a faint grin on his face. 

“Ooo…well your tip proves to be correct, in regards that he is here, but not because he is ‘hiding’.” 

“So it is true you finally bagged him?” Zeno inquired with another one of his grins. 

“I have his heart firmly in both hands, though I do not have him in bed _quite_ yet, at least not in the way _you_ are thinking.” 

Zeno chuckled. “About time he considers settling down a bit. You do not know how hard it is for us to get him to go on some R and R.” 

“Oh I had a pretty good idea,” Ella said, not about to let him in on the _reason_ he did not want to get any R and R: while she knew Zeno had enough respect for his Commander not to make light of his ‘former’ condition, she did not want to take the chance. “I take it you want to see him? I hope you are not going to be taking him away for some mission that will last for months: I was just starting to get used to having him around.” 

“Fear not m’lady,” Zeno said with an exaggerated bow. “I am only here to deliver something to him that he should have received a long time ago.” 

Ella narrowed her eyes slight, having a feeling what it was but decided to play ignorant. “Ah I see,” She said. “He is upstairs, likely rearranging my furniture again so he can practice. The door is unlocked.” 

“Thank you Ella,” Zeno said as he moved around the counter and started heading for the stairs. “I will be sure to give you some ‘proper’ business when I have a chance.” 

“You are gonna have to introduce me to him someday…,” Rena said after he had disappeared upstairs. “He looks like he is _hot_ under that armor.” 

“It would be a waste of both our times my dear,” Ella said. 

“Oh why is that?” Rena asked. “He cannot possibly be married, all Spec Ops being aristocrats and all….” 

“Because women are not his type,” Ella said in a whisper, repeating almost the exact words he told her himself one day when she asked him if he had a mate. 

Rena blinked a couple times before she got it. “Dammit…,” She grumbled and then added in a whisper. “Why do all the hot ones end up being gay?” 

\-- 

Rtas had been indeed moving furniture around again and once he was done, he started practicing. He was in the middle of one of the more complex forms when he heard someone come into the residence. Assuming it was just Ella needing to get something he did not pause in his stride. 

“Even on your time off you cannot just seem to relax, can you Commander?” An entirely unexpected voice commented. 

Rtas stopped in mid stride and turned around to face the speaker. “’Ribal,” He said in surprise. “What are you doing here and not on Cairo Station?” 

“Special request from Earth High Command,” The SpecOps Officer replied. “To be Ambassador Johnson’s escort.” 

“And why are you not with Johnson then?” 

“He is with the Arbiter, so he is safe enough right now. Granted, I am certain I will have to tag along with him should he decide he wants a tour of the city and what not.” 

“Fair enough, but why are you here?” In response, Zeno walked over and pressed a data chip into his hand. “What is….” 

“Something you should have gotten a long time ago, Commander,” Zeno said softly. 

If Zeno had said anything after that, Rtas did not hear it, for the realization of what this was hit him like a runaway Ghost. “Father…,” He said quietly. 

“I shall leave you be Commander,” Zeno said. 

“’Ribal, I do not know how I can….” 

“Oh no Commander, it is not _me_ you should thank,” Zeno said. “It was Johnson that was able to recover it.” 

Zeno exited the same way he came, leaving Rtas alone with the data chip that contained his father’s last words. _For so long I wondered…,_ He thought. _Now, finally, it is in my hands and I can hear what you wanted to tell me. But, why am I afraid to hear it?_ Rtas thought back to the last time he saw his father alive…. 

\-- 

 _It was hard to run and put armor on at the same time, but somehow Rtas was managing it as he raced for the hanger bay._ Why was I not told about this? _He thought, nearly knocking over a surprised Minor as he went. Rtas stumbled from the collision, but recovered his footing just as he entered the hanger bay where he saw the Commander just about to step into a Phantom. “Father!” He called out as he skidded to a halt before him._  

“ _Excuse me?” The Commander said, raising a brow._  

“ _I...I mean Commander…,” Rtas corrected himself, feeling himself blush in embarrassment. Whenever he was overly excited, he made that mistake._  

“ _What is it ‘Vadumee?” The Commander queried patiently._  

“ _Why was I not told of this mission?” Rtas asked. “I want to come with you.…”_  

“ _And who told you I was leaving on a mission?”_  

“’ _Ribalee….”_  

 _The Commander blinked and then chuckled softly. “I should have known. That youth has talent, glad I convinced the Council to allow him to join our ranks, but he needs to learn when not to spread information around.”_  

“ _Perhaps, but why did you not tell me about this,” Rtas asked, his tone slightly accusing._  

“ _This mission is especially dangerous,” The Commander explained. “Only the best are coming for it.”_  

“ _But you told me I was one of your best,” Rtas countered._  

“ _I also did not tell you because I did not want to risk losing you,” The Commander said, his tone softer. “You are my only son, ‘Vadumee, and if I was to lose you during this mission I doubt I would be able to recover from the loss.”_  

“ _It would be an honor to die fighting by your side father,” Rtas said, slightly confused . “You allowed me to come with you on other missions that were dangerous, what is so different about this one?”_  

“ _I do not know,” His father confessed. “I just have a bad feeling.”_  

 _Rtas felt a bit insulted. “You are not allowing me to come due to a_ feeling _!?”_  

“ _You always listen to your instincts Rtas,” His father scolded. “I want you to live, so you can pass on our family line to the next generation and because I love you.”_  

 _He flinched slightly at the mention of starting a family of his own. His father did not know he was Gynophobic and thus could not start such a family no matter how much he wanted to. “Father…about that…I…,” Rtas started, feeling the need to tell him now before it could be too late._  

 _The Commander studied his face for a moment, concern in his eyes. Then he turned his head in the direction of the cockpit of the Phantom when someone called for him. “We will have to discuss it when I return son,” He said regretfully. “I am already late in starting this mission.”_  

“ _Al…alright father,” Rtas said sadly. “Be careful….”_  

 _Rtas watched his father enter the Phantom and depart from the ship, not knowing then that would be the last time he would ever see his beloved sire._  

\-- 

He remembered how he felt when he got word of his father’s death, how he felt the world around him just shattered. Rtas kept wondering at the time if his delaying of his father’s departure is what resulted in his death. Later on, he learned that his sire died of wounds caused by a new breed of human warrior, Spartans. He developed a hatred of those warriors, the ones that took his father away, but he never got a chance to meet one in combat before his people allied with the humans. By then, his hatred had cooled, if not completely extinguished, as he learned of the human’s motives. The humans were just trying to protect their homes and families, just as his father was trying to protect him. 

“Are you going to listen to it?” A voice said, startling him out of his thoughts. Looking up, he saw Ella standing by the door, looking a bit concerned. “Or have you already?” 

Rtas glanced at the time and realized to his shock that an hour had passed since Zeno had given him the chip. While he was deep in his own thoughts he had wandered into the bedroom and sat down on the bed without even realizing it. “Not yet…,” He confessed. “I am a bit…worried…about what I may hear.” 

“Why?” She asked as she sat down beside him. 

“I…remember the last time I spoke to him when he was alive, that I told him I needed to tell him something,” Rtas said softly. “Who knows how he interpreted that…” 

“You were wanting to tell him about your Gynophobia,” She said. 

“He could have interpreted it as me wanting to tell him I was gay…and I am certain he would have been…disappointed with that news since he wanted me to start a family of my own,” Rtas said. 

“So you think he would have been ok with you possibly being gay?” 

“I do not think, I know,” Rtas replied. “I know because he did not react negatively when one of the Minors in our squad came out.” 

“Hmm….Zeno?” 

He blinked at her in surprise. “How did you….” 

“He is a client and he told me in his own way once when I was just striking up a conversation,” Ella explained. “Anyway, we are getting off topic. You going to play what is on the chip or not?” 

Rtas sighed and stared at the chip for a bit longer. “I am here to support you Rtas, you do not have to do this alone,” He heard Ella say softly. 

“I know…,” He said as he finally inserted the chip into the console….


	30. The Lost Message

It was audio only and the first thing they heard was raspy, labored breathing, Rtas subconsciously swallowing thickly when he heard it.  His father was obviously in terrible pain and Rtas was finding it difficult to withstand hearing him struggle so.  Yet despite being in such pain and obviously dying, his father still had a strong commanding voice. 

 _-This is SpecOps Commander ‘Tidumee.-_ His sire started: if he hadn’t heard the very start of the message itself, Rtas would have thought this was a normal message to his troops.  _–This message is for my son and my son only.  If you are not him, please get this message to him.-_  

Rtas felt Ella start to leave, but he gripped her hand and kept her in place.  “But…,” She started to protest. 

“Considering what you have done for me, I do not believe he would mind you listening as well,” Rtas told her. 

After a couple moments, his father spoke again, this time in a softer, fatherly tone.  _–My son…by now you know I am gone and I regret that we never had a chance to have our discussion.-_ There were a couple of coughs that sounded so painful that it tore at Rtas’ hearts. _–I know not what you wanted to tell me son, but…I have my suspicions.  Knowing what you…went through in your early childhood, I can only imagine the mental scars it left behind.  I did what I could for you and I am proud that you have come so far.  Yet, I know there must be some deeper pain I do not know about, one you are afraid to reveal.  Whatever it is my son, know that I still love you regardless and that I would have supported you all the way, if things had turned out differently here….-_  

Rtas could feel the tears coming and he lowered his head to let them fall.  He felt Ella hug him, comforting him.  What surprised them both was what they heard next. 

 _-I…I have my own secret…,-_ His father said, sounding weaker now then before.  _–One I hid not out of shame but of necessity.  You…are not my only child….-_  

“What!?”  Rtas exclaimed in shock, gripping the sides of the console in his shock. 

 _-Years ago…,-_ His father continued.  _–I did a favor for an associate of mine.  She feared she was barren, as despite months of attempts she and her husband could not conceive.  I laid with her and I learned later that she did conceive as a result.  However…due to the situation and how…aggressive the husband was known to be…we could not risk revealing the truth, for fear of both her life and the child’s,-_ There was a heavy sigh.  _–I told her…many times she should leave him…for both their sakes, but she always refused.  I had no choice but to respect her wishes.-_  

“Father…,” Rtas breathed softly.  “So this is why you looked troubled sometimes…” 

“He must have felt so helpless…,” Ella said.  “You cannot help someone if they do not wish it….” 

 _-I am not even certain she is still alive…,-_ His father continued.  _–I have not heard from her in a while.  I do not now what you can do to help her and your sibling if they are, but please…do what you can.  The mother’s name is….,-_ There was a long pause, his father apparently struggling to remember, likely as an effect of his body starting to shut down on him.  _–‘Behon…,-_ There were a couple of muttered curses due to his inability to remember the first.  _–That…is all I can recall….’Behon.  She…never told me the name of the child,-_ There was another long pause, his father now losing the fight against death.  _–Please help them, if you can…my son…,-_ He said, his voice a hoarse whisper now.  _–They…deserve better then…what they…have been dealt….-_  

The message ended there and the pair sat there in silence for a couple of moments, letting it sink in completely.  “So… we know that you have a sibling out there, somewhere, and that the step-father is likely…abusive…”  Ella said softly. 

“’Behon…,” Rtas said quietly, committing the name to memory.  “He could not remember her first name, but that should be enough to request a search at the DNA achieves and track down where she and my sibling live.” 

“If they are still alive,” Ella said grimly.  “If they are, there is a chance she may refuse your help like she did with your father.” 

“But why would someone stay in such a relationship?”  Rtas said with a faint growl. 

“Because it is all they know,” Ella explained sadly.  “It is the fear of the unknown and the risk that the abusive party will hunt them down and kill them if they _do_ leave.  From what I read during my studies, someone that suffered abuse is often the hardest to get to leave that situation to get help. You were lucky.” 

“Because my mother was not alive to protest it…then again…if she _was_ alive I likely would not have been abused in the first place,” He sighed heavily.  Then he clenched his hand into a fist.  “But I must try, to honor my father’s last request.” 

\-- 

Tala paced back and forth, her nerves on edge and her mind racing.  Kesi was up to something, something big: she could feel it in her gut.  However, she could find nothing out of the ordinary in the ships systems, no logs or anything.  Whatever it was, Kesi was keeping it close to his chest, with likely only those that were most loyal to him in the know.  It was frustrating and starting to drive her crazy. 

“Tala, please stop pacing,” Telo said softly.  “You are making me nervous.” 

“I am sorry Telo,” She said with a heavy sigh.  “I cannot help it.  I know Kesi is up to something….” 

Telo was quiet for a moment before speaking again.  “He must be…,” He said.  “One of his men came in earlier asking to borrow some sedative.  He would not tell me what it was for.” 

 _Sedative?_   Tala thought, pausing in her pacing as she absorbed this new information.  _Why would anyone need sedative unless you are a doctor?  Unless…._   Tala’s eyes went wide as she realized what it had to mean. “Oh gods…no…,” She muttered. 

“What is it?”  Telo asked. 

“He means to kidnap someone,” She said, her voice quivering slightly. 

“I would not call it ‘kidnapping’ so much as reclaiming what is mine.”  A familiar voice said from the doorway.  Tala looked up, horrified, at the figure of Kesi, his words only confirming her worse fear. 

“After what you did to her, what makes you think she is even still alive?”  Tala said hotly. 

“I have information that she is alive and with someone I find unworthy,” Kesi said evenly, Tala noticing the fire in his eyes as he said this.  “I am not about to allow my bloodline to be tainted by unworthy blood.” 

“Whom she chooses is _her_ choice Kesi!”  Tala snapped.  “Especially since you disowned her!” 

“Yes I disowned her, but I have the right to change my mind,” Kesi said calmly.  “What is the matter Tala?  I would have thought you would have wanted to see your daughter again.” 

“Better to never see her again if it means she remains out of your cruel hands.” 

“Well…,” Kesi leaned in close, getting in her face.  “If you have given me the son I wanted, I would not have to resort to this.” 

 _Still blaming me when it is you!_   Tala thought, really wanting to say that to his face, but knowing it is too dangerous, especially right now.  Unable to think of a response beyond that, she could only just glare at him. Kesi just laughed. 

“That is right, you only have yourself to blame,” He said with a grin.  Then he looked at Telo, whom flinched at his gaze. “Telo, you are coming with us for this.” 

“W…what?”  Telo said, already starting to shake. 

“I cannot risk my men accidently overdosing her on sedative,” Kesi explained.  “So I need a professional to do it.” 

“Do not do it Telo…,” Tala said, her voice quivering in rage. 

“If he does not do it, then there is a chance she may die from overdose,” Kesi said, a smirk on his face.  “You know how frail she is…Tala,”  Tala could not respond to that, only stand there and shake in fury and grief, hot tears starting to flow from her remaining eye.  “Thought so…,” Kesi said with a laugh, then leveling his gaze on Telo again.  “ _You,_ do not even think about refusing,” He said.  “After all…you have that code of yours right? ‘Do no harm’?  She would come to harm if you refuse….” 

Telo visibly swallowed and looked away.  “How can I be certain…,” He said softly.  “You will not harm her afterward?” 

“That will depend on how well she behaves,” Kesi said evenly.  “You can see how Tala behaves…,” He brushed one finger along the side of Tala’s face, empathizing what he would do to her if she did ‘misbehave’.  Tala shuddered at the thought of Kesi doing to Sari what he did to her over the years.  “Get your kit ready Telo, we will be leaving soon.  As for you….” 

Before Tala could react, Kesi grabbed her arm firmly and roughly pulled her along.  She struggled the best she could against his grip, but knew it was useless.  Eventually, he dragged her to the brig, where he threw her into one of the empty cells.  “Cannot risk you attempting to sabotage this mission Tala, knowing how badly you would rather Sari remain ‘out of my grasp’,” He said to her as he activated the plasma door.  “Do not worry; you will be let out once Sari is safely back in my care.” 

“You bastard!”  Tala cried as he walked away.  “You will not get away with this!”  For a couple of moments she vented by banging and kicking the walls of her cell.  After exhausting herself, she sat down and wept.  _Oh Sari…,_ She thought.  _Once again, I failed to protect you…._  

\-- 

The DNA archives building was in the center of the city, so Rtas used public transportation to arrive at the city center and walked the rest of the way.  He had to admit it felt a bit odd walking around in civilian clothing, since he usually was in his armor.  There was also a lingering anxiety about possibly seeing Gala again: though he wasn’t afraid of her anymore, the trauma he suffered by her hands won’t be completely overcome for some time, if at all. 

Rtas pushed that concern out of his mind, focusing on the task at hand.  A part of him wondered why his father did not tell him sooner about his sibling, feeling slightly hurt that his father didn’t trust him with such a secret.  However, he reminded himself that such secrets were best to be known by as few people as possible, for the safety of those that were in danger.  He did feel a bit of sorrow though, that his only other blood relative was in the same situation he was in.  _I will rescue you…,_ Rtas thought as he entered the DNA archive factuality.  _Like father rescued me._  

“Good afternoon sir,” The female clerk at the counter said.  “How can I help you?” 

Beside himself he smiled: to think not even a month ago he would be running back out of the building as fast as his hooves could carry him the moment she said that.  “I recently found out that I may have a younger sibling,” He replied, his expression serious.  “I would like to request a search to find this individual’s identity.” 

“That should be no problem sir,” The clerk said as she started typing on her console.  “Your name please.” 

“Rtas ‘Vadum.” 

She gave him a smile and respectful nod.  “A pleasure to meet you, Shipmaster.  What side of your family do you believe this individual is connected to?” 

“My father: Anko ‘Tidumee,” Rtas said.  “But his name would not be on any records for this individual.” 

“So you will need a DNA comparison then,” Rtas nodded and she typed that in.  “Do you know the mother’s name?” 

“Only her last,” Rtas replied regretfully.  “’Behon.  That is all the information I have.” 

“It should be sufficient,” The clerk said.  “While we prefer to have both a first and last name for searches, having only a last name is usually better then just a first: fewer similar results.  Since we will be doing a DNA comparison as well, I must remind you that this could take at least twenty-four hours, depending on how many children the mother has.” 

“From what I know, my likely sibling is a first child, if not the only child in that family,” Rtas told the clerk. 

“I see.  I will make note of that.  May I have your contact information, please, so I may send you the results when they are ready?” 

Rtas gave her his contact information, thanked her for her help and left the building. Now all he had to do was wait….


	31. Reclaimed

Breakfast time had been…interesting, to say the least. Johnson kept cracking jokes and asking the Arbiter why he kept apologizing whenever he said Sari’s name. This confused her until Johnson explained that the pronunciation of her name sounded almost exactly like a human word for apology. Eventually, it got to the point where Vl’asuna threatened to smack the human in the face with a piece of fruit, at which Johnson quickly stopped the nonsense. 

The human did, however, keep pestering the Arbiter on how he met her and finally the Arbiter relented. He didn’t tell Johnson all the details, just enough to satisfy him. The look on the human’s face when he told her she was Kesi’s daughter was priceless and more then made up for how annoying he had been so far. 

Finally, Johnson and the Arbiter left to go on a tour of the city before their meeting and Sari took the opportunity to do some cleaning. Vl’asuna kept her company as she usually did when the Arbiter wasn’t home. “So what do you think of him?” The Lipor asked. 

“Of the Ambassador?” Sari replied. “Not sure to be honest. He’s a bit rude…crass…yet funny. I can tell Azu does not like him too much.” 

“He tolerates him,” Vl’asuna said. “Azu has had to deal with him since the Great Schism started, so you could say he’s used to him.” 

“I just hope not all humans are like him.” 

“Oh no worries Sari: humans come in all sorts, just like Sangheili.” 

“That is a relief,” Sari said with a giggle. “I would hate to have to deal with a whole species comprised of Johnsons.” 

“Oh gods forbid!” Vl’asuna said with a mock horrified expression on her face. “I think even _Johnson_ would get sick of himself then,” The two shared a laugh in agreement. “How are you feeling by the way?” The Lipor suddenly asked. 

Sari paused in her dusting to look down at Vl’asuna, wondering at why she would ask such a question. “I am feeling fine. Why?” She replied. 

“Over the last couple of days your scent has changed,” Vl’asuna explained. “A subtle change, but a change none the less.” 

“Really? Should it be something I need to be concerned about, ‘Mura?” 

“Maybe, maybe not,” Vl’asuna said with a shrug. “Ones scent can tell you all kinds of information if you know how to decipher its meaning. When you were still sick from when Azu first found you, you had a different scent then you did when you were completely healthy. It is different again now, but in a more subtle way. What it means I do not know, for I have not learned all the scent cues for a Sangheili.” 

“Well…I do not feel sick or anything…,” Sari said with a frown. 

“Not all illnesses have immediate symptoms Sari,” Vl’asuna pointed out. “Some do not show symptoms until they are more advanced.” 

“Oh gods…,” Sari said, starting to get worried. “M…maybe I should see a doctor….” 

“There is one other thing it could mean that I can think of,” Vl’asuna said quickly, catching onto Sari’s distress. 

“Wh…what is that?” Sari wasn’t sure she wanted to know. 

The Lipor smiled as she replied. “Pregnancy.” 

Sari stood there for a moment in numb shock. Subconsciously she put a hand over her belly: could it be? “W…why would pregnancy change my scent?” She asked curiously. 

“It would be one of the cues to inform a male hoping to get lucky that you are not receptive,” Vl’asuna explained. “Especially during the early stages when you are not showing _physical_ signs of being with child.” 

“Could that explain why Azu suddenly wasn’t so, erm… _insistent,_ on doing the deed?” 

“Quite possibly,” The Lipor said with a smirk. “This would be all on the subconscious level naturally, so he would not have a clue. Before telling him though, I would highly suggest having a test done to see if it really is pregnancy and not something more serious. Best not to get his hopes up needlessly, after all.” 

Sari nodded, running her hand over her belly as she looked down at it, hoping, praying, that is what it was. _Azu would be ecstatic if he found out I was with child,_ She thought, beaming. Then she sighed. _I will have to wait until he comes home though…as I do not know how to drive and I would rather not go anywhere without him._  

The door chime sounded then, breaking her out of her thoughts. “I wonder who that could be…,” She thought aloud as she went to answer the door. 

“Probably either a salesmen or someone wanting to talk to Azu.” Vl’asuna muttered as she followed her. Just before she reached the door she noticed out of her peripheral vision that the Lipor had suddenly stopped in her tracks. 

“’Mura…what is it?” Sari asked, seeing how her fur was now standing on end. 

“Something…is not right…,” Vl’asuna said with a low growl. “I suggest you get away from the door….” 

Sari did not argue, trusting in the Lipor’s instincts. The pair stood silently, listening and waiting: whomever was at the door did not press the door chime again. She looked down at Vl’asuna, whose ears were going over time: she had to hear something and Sari looked around nervously. 

Then she thought she saw some kind of shimmer in the air and it was at that moment the Lipor attacked. In a fury of fur, fangs and claws, she pounced on an unseen figure. That figure materialized quickly, revealing a Sangheili male with pirate markings on his armor. More suddenly appeared, revealing six others. They ignored their comrade that was currently being mauled and focused their attention on her. 

Sari backed away, panic filling her mind. Why were they here and why were they after her? _Father…,_ She thought. _He has to be behind this…but how did he find out about me?_  

“Come peacefully little girl…,” One of the pirates growled. “And you will not get hurt. You father wants you back.” 

“After what he has done to me...,” Sari hissed. “I would rather die then to go back to him.”

“I am afraid he wants you alive…,” The pirate replied, cracking his knuckles. “Though Shipmaster ‘Musav _did_ give us permission to rough you up a bit if it was necessary.” 

 _Light precise strikes…_ Sari thought as they closed in on her, recalling the training the Arbiter gave her. Vl’asuna, finished with the one she attacked, then pounced on one of the others, her sudden weight sending the pirate crashing to the floor. 

“You three!” One of them growled. “Take care of that beast! The rest of us will deal with the girl” 

She took the moment’s distraction Vl’asuna caused to strike. After flipping the duster over in her hand so that the handle faced away from her, she jabbed it into the neck of the closest pirate. Said pirate made a choking sound and staggered back, holding his neck. Sari then slammed the impromptu weapon into another’s neck, giving the same result. 

Sari then looked to Vl’asuna, whom was giving the others a time trying to land a blow on the agile Lipor. She noticed none of them were using their plasma weapons, quite possibly to avoid unwanted attention. One of her opponents was recovering, so she kicked him in the gut. One of the pirates that were after Vl’asuna noticed this and turned his attention to her. 

“Run Sari!” Vl’asuna growled as she pounced on the one that started for Sari. “I’ll hold them off!” 

She nodded and ran for the door, only to hit something solid in her path. Winded, she could not react when she felt a powerful hand grab her by the neck. “Must I do everything myself?” A familiar voice growled, Sari’s hearts filling with dread as Kesi himself decloaked. 

Sari could only watch helplessly as the pirate leader raised his plasma rifle and shot at the Lipor, two shots hitting their mark. “’Mura!” She cried as the Lipor was sent flying by the force of the blasts, hitting the floor with a thud. She could tell she was still breathing, but beyond that she wasn’t moving. 

“Shipmaster…can we please skin this one?” One of the pirates asked. 

“As much as I would love to have that one turned into a rug…,” Kesi growled bitterly. “I need a witness to…inform the Arbiter on who is responsible.” 

“You bastard!” Sari hissed, thrashing in his grip as she tried to do the same to him as she did to his minions, only for her blows to slide off his shields. 

“Seems that heretic has taught you some things…,” Kesi said, a mildly amused expression on his face. “A pity. I was hoping I could get you to come along quietly, but alas, that turned out to be a futile hope. Telo?” 

It was only then that Sari realized that there was another Sangheili beside him. This one was dressed in the armor of a medic and simply looked terrified. “Please…do not make me do this…,” He pleaded. 

Kesi growled and Sari felt him start to squeeze, making her gasp for breath. “I told you the deal, Telo,” Kesi growled. “Either you do it, or I do it myself: remember that _my_ method may result in accidently killing her…and you do not want that…do you?” 

The frightened medic lowered his head, tears in his eyes. Finally he pulled an injector out of his bag and approached her. “Forgive me…” She heard him say as she felt the device inject it’s contents into her arm. Within seconds, the world went black…. 

\-- 

“Well that was a big fat waste of our time,” Johnson grumbled as he, the Arbiter, and Zeno piled into the vehicle to return home. As they expected, the Council, especially ‘Malic, refused to do anything about Kesi, even in the face of evidence that Kesi was accelerating his plans with the theft of the _Material Reserve_. “And to think, we have to butt heads with those buttheads again several more times before I get to leave. Man, my pay isn’t high enough for me to deal with this type of bullshit.” 

“Welcome to my world,” The Arbiter said grimly with a sigh. “At this point, I wonder if Kesi could raid Sangheilios itself and they still would not do anything about him.” 

“Scary thought…,” Johnson said with a shudder. “Hey…do you smell smoke?” 

“Huh, no I do not…why….” 

Johnson looked squarely at Zeno and the Arbiter got what he was referring about. Zeno was lying back in his seat, hands folded behind his head with a look of deep thought on his face. “Zeno! Stop that before you end up smoking us out of the car!” 

“Hmmm?” Zeno said, glancing at them. “Oh, I do apologize for the inconvenience.” 

“Something is on your mind ‘Ribal, care to share it?” The Arbiter said. 

“Well, to be honest I found Councilor ‘Malic’s behavior to be a bit odd. Smug even.” 

“When it comes to refusing what I want…he is always smug looking.” 

“Perhaps,.” Zeno shrugged. “But to me it seemed like he knew something we do not, something we _should_ know,” After a pause he added. “And do you usually leave your door open Arbiter?” 

The Arbiter blinked at him in confusion for a moment, then realized that they had arrived at his home. Indeed his door was open, but no one was standing at the threshold, as one would expect. Getting a sickening feeling in his stomach, he jumped out of the vehicle and rushed inside. The first thing he saw was a dead Sangheili in armor that bore pirate markings. “No…,” He breathed as his experienced eyes spotted the other signs of struggle: blood splatters and disturbed furniture. Then he saw Vl’asuna. “’Mura!” The Arbiter quickly ran to his friend’s side. “What happened…where is Sari?” 

“F…forgive me…. _Maiken…,_ ” The Lipor said weakly as he lifted up her head. “I…could not protect her….” 

The Arbiter swallowed and it felt like he had lead weights in his stomach. “What…what happened?” 

“Kesi…,” Vl’asuna said with a growl. “He…took…her.” 

“Impossible…,” The Arbiter was stunned and at a loss for words. He didn’t want to believe it, yet there was proof in the form of that dead pirate in the living room staring right at him. 

“How the _hell_ did he get past all that security!?” Johnson asked, looking around at the mess. 

The Arbiter did not answer. He stood up and started running about the house, calling Sari’s name, hoping it wasn’t true and that Sari was just hiding somewhere. There was no response and no sign of his beloved, forcing him to believe that she was truly gone and likely lost to him. Johnson watched silently, a sympathetic look on his face as the Arbiter finally gave up and collapsed to his knees on the floor. 

“No…,” He sobbed, covering his face with his hands. Then suddenly he screamed a cry of denial, slamming his fists onto the floor in both grief and rage. His outcry did little to deaden the pain he was feeling, the feeling that a part of him had been ripped away. 

“Arbiter,” Slowly he looked up at Zeno, his grief heavy on his soul. “He took her alive…,” In his hands the Arbiter saw a medical injector, a clear sign that Sari had been sedated. “Which means there is a likely hood we can rescue her.” 

“I doubt the Council will even give us permission to do so.,” The Arbiter replied softly. 

“Look Arbiter,” Johnson said. “They have to react to the fact that Kesi managed to weasel his way past all that security to get her, not to mention having to smuggle her back off the planet. If ‘Malic still won’t listen, then perhaps the other four will grow enough of a spine to over rule him.” 

“And what if they still refuse?” 

“Damn the Council then,” Zeno said with a growl. “If they are too stupid or boneheaded to recognize the threat for what it is, then they do not deserve their positions. Hell, I would say just go after him now, but considering how old this scene looks, the _Righteous Justice_ will have likely jumped out of the system by now anyway. Considering he wanted her alive in the first place and that he did not leave any form of ransom note, I find it likely he wanted her for his own means and that it hurt you was just a big bonus.” 

“Let me guess…to ensure the continuation of his own bloodline on his own terms,” Johnson grumbled. “Bastard.” 

“Tomorrow,” The Arbiter said. “Tomorrow we will confront the Council. ‘Mura needs to be taken care of right now….” 

Zeno nodded. “I will go inform Commander ‘Vadum of what happened. Shall I tell him to ready the ship per your request?” 

“Only if he does not decide to do so on his own.” 

Zeno thumped his fist against his chest in acknowledgement, then quickly departed. “I’m no expert ‘Mura,” Johnson said as he examined her wounds. “But it looks like your fur took the brunt of the shots.” 

“Still…hurts…like hell…,” Vl’asuna growled as the Arbiter picked her up. 

“Let us get her to a hospital,” The Arbiter said. 

“Should be fun…the hospital is about to get a very unusual patient…,” Johnson said with a chuckle as they returned to the vehicle. 

 _I will find you Sari…,_ The Arbiter thought as he told the driver to take them to the nearest hospital. _And save you again. Even if I must become an outlaw to do it…_.


	32. Cleansing

“You torment me…you know that?” Rtas mumbled as he watched Ella, whom was in a somewhat tight evening gown, stretching before sitting down beside him. “And unfair.” 

“What is not fair?” Ella asked sweetly, smiling slightly mischievously. 

“You got to see _all_ of me, which was unintentional on my part in case you do not remember, yet you continuously tease me with what I _have not_ seen of yours…,” Rtas replied, giving her a longing look. 

“Ah, but is it not the challenge that will make it all worth it?” Ella said with a giggle. “Have some patience.” 

“You ask that of someone who just got over Gynophobia and thus have _years_ of frustration pent up and wanting to be released,” Rtas pointed out. “You are lucky I have some restraint and do not just pounce on you right now and rip that lovely dress off you to have some fun.” 

“Ah, but you have more honor then that…,” Ella said, leaning in close to him. “You would not dare….” 

“You do not know how hard it is to keep my hands to myself right now…,” He told her softly, his heart rate increasing. 

“What if I do not want you to?” Ella said mischievously, running her fingers down his naked chest. 

“Keep that up and I may need to remove these pants so I am more comfortable….” 

“You know…that is _one_ part of you I _have not_ seen.” 

Rtas gave her a look. “Ok…that is it…,” He said as he grabbed her. “It is _your_ turn to give up a bit!” 

Ella giggled as they wrestled on the couch, then fell onto the floor. Rtas was trying to undress Ella, while Ella was doing a good job at keeping him from succeeding. Their antics only ceased when the door chime sounded. At which point Ella managed to slip away from Rtas’ grasp and put a robe on. 

“Awww…come on…,” Rtas said, pouting as he watched her head down stairs to answer the door. “Let them come back later….” 

“You can wait a few more minutes,” Came the sly response. 

“Evil woman….” 

Sighing at the unfairness of it all, Rtas picked himself up off the floor and sat back down on the couch. It wasn’t long before he heard Ella call up to him. “Rtas! You have a visitor!” 

“Oh for…,” Rtas grumbled as he slipped a robe on himself so he was more presentable and headed down. “Who would….’Ribal….what are you doing here?” He blinked in surprise at the SpecOps Officer at the threshold, a grim look on his face. Knowing Zeno rarely had such a serious look on his face unless it was really important, he asked. “Something has happened….” 

“Quite so Commander,” Zeno replied. “It is in regards to Kesi,” Rtas nodded and beckoned for him to come in. Once they were in the living room, ‘Ribal continued. “He has found a way past all of the planetary security.” 

“What!?” Rtas exclaimed. “You mean he has raided Sangheilios itself!?” 

“Not of supplies…,” ‘Ribal replied. “He kidnapped Sari.” 

Rtas stood there in numb shock for a moment. To steal supplies was one thing, but to actually go as far as to kidnap someone. “Any demands?” 

“No Commander, no ransom or anything. This tells me that he wanted her for his own means.” 

“The Arbiter….” 

“Taking this rather hard, he did not want to believe Sari was gone at first,” The SpecOps said. “He intends to appeal to the Council first thing in the morning, in hopes of getting permission to go after Kesi.” 

“Which is not likely to happen…,” Rtas grumbled. For several long moments he stood there in silent debate, aware that both Ella and ‘Ribal were watching him intently. “’Ribal, contact the _Shadow of Intent’s_ essential personnel and inform them that they are to get the ship ready to leave,” He said at last, a determined tone in his voice. “Also inform the non-essential personnel that they are on standby and to be ready to return to the ship at a moments notice.” 

“As you command, Commander,” Zeno said, thumping his chest with a fist. 

As the SpecOps Officer left, Ella gaped at Rtas. “You cannot be thinking what I am thinking you are,” She said. “To go after Kesi without permission….” 

“I am well aware of what may happen Ella,” Rtas said grimly as he headed for the room where he stashed his armor, Ella following. “I will allow the Arbiter to attempt to appeal to the Council first, however I doubt those assholes will do anything. ‘Malic himself has too much power over the Council and so long as he despises the Arbiter so…he will not allow the Council to approve of hunting Kesi down.” 

“Even in the face of the obvious threat that Kesi has found a way to bypass all of our system’s security!?” Ella asked, not believing it. “Surely the other four would have enough brains and power between them to overrule ‘Malic’s idiocy!” 

“I am not about to take that chance,” Rtas said as he inspected his armor. “I saw how the Arbiter reacted _last_ time he lost someone dear to him and from what ‘Ribal told me, he is taking it even harder this time…and it is clear that Sari is still alive on top of that!” 

“But you could be stripped of your rank for this…perhaps even…,” Ella was silenced when he suddenly turned and kissed her. 

“As I said…,” He told her softly. “I am aware of the risks. Besides, I seriously doubt they will do something as harsh as to execute me. With Johnson here as a witness to all this, I seriously doubt the UNSC will…approve of such an action against me, especially in light of how the Council is too _spineless_ to act themselves. Despite how annoying Johnson is, in this case his presence is a blessing.” 

“I…I know…,” Ella said, choking back a sob. “I…I just do not want to lose you…not after I had just won you over….” 

“Fear not,” Rtas said, stroking her face. “I seriously doubt this mission will result in my death.” _However…,_ He thought. _I do worry about the consequences of this._ _The Council will surely try us for acting on our own like this and who knows what their punishment may be._ Rtas pushed the thoughts out of his mind and focused on what was more important to him at this very moment. As much as he hated to admit it, there was nothing he could do for Sari right now. 

Gently, he pulled her close and enveloped her in an embrace: he felt her do the same. As they stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, he felt a familiar urge. The feeling of the antics they were doing only moments before returning. With a faint growl he started coaxing her toward the bed. 

Ella caught on quickly, but did not resist his advances this time. Rather, she seemed almost hungry for it. It wasn’t long before the pair were stripped and under the covers…. 

\-- 

She felt sick, probably due to the waning effects of the sedative, but the moving sensation she was feeling was not helping either. Sari groaned softly, both from the nausea and the slight lightheadedness she felt. When she finally opened her eyes, she realized why. 

Below her was a dark metallic floor and, coming into line of sight at regular intervals, was the armored feet of one person and the armored hock and shank of someone else. It quickly dawned on her that she was slung over someone’s shoulder, being carried as if she was a piece of property: the lightheadedness she was feeling was due to the rush of blood to her head. 

“She has awakened Shipmaster,” The pirate that was trailing behind the one carrying her said. “Should we restrain her?” 

“No need,” Kesi’s voice answered uncomfortably close: he had to be the one carrying her. “She is helpless.” 

 _Helpless!?_ Sari thought with a growl. _I will show you how helpless I am!_ Quickly, she assessed her position and determined what she could reach. Remembering the lessons the Arbiter taught her, she quickly found a pressure point just below the point where the armor on Kesi’s back ended. Without hesitation, she jabbed her slim fingers into it, receiving a howl of pain from Kesi, whom fell to his knees. 

Before his minions could react, Sari slipped off Kesi’s shoulder and made a break for it. She did not get far before more of his minions caught up to her, restrained her and brought her back to a rather peeved Kesi. “You could have paralyzed me,” The pirate leader growled, one hand behind his back rubbing the spot she hit. 

“If so, that would have been a great service I would have done for the galaxy.” Sari hissed and then lashed out with a hoof. Unfortunately, this time Kesi was just out of her range. 

“She has quite a bit of spunk Shipmaster,” One of the pirates holding her commented. “Shall we beat it out of her?” 

“No,” Kesi growled. “The only one with that right will be me.” He motioned for them to continue. The pirates holding her forced her forward, making her trip slightly: the only reason she did not fall on her face was because they were holding her. 

Realizing quickly that further struggling was pointless for now, Sari instead concentrated on getting familiar with her surroundings. The hallway was made completely of metal and a dark purple in color. The walls themselves had a curve to them, making it look rather elegant. Distantly she could hear the sounds of other pirates talking, some arguing. Also present was the constant hum of some device deeper into the structure and a sickening feeling started settling into her stomach as she started to suspect where she was. 

Her suspicions were confirmed when they passed one of the few windows that afforded a view outside and saw nothing but blackness and stars. Sari’s hearts filled with despair as it set in that not only had Kesi stolen her from her home, but managed to smuggle her off the planet as well. _I am on the Righteous Justice…,_ She thought, trying her best to keep her emotions in check. _And who knows how far away I am from you now Azu. I hope you can find me and rescue me from this hell I have been forced into…._  

The small procession finally stopped in front of a door a moment later, which opened to reveal what looked like a small hospital: the ships infirmary. Inside, she saw a familiar face, one she did not particularly want to see again: Telo, the one that sedated her. “Wha…wha…are you doing here Kesi?” The frightened medic said, visibly shaking. “I did what you wanted…what more do you want from me…what other shame must you force upon me?” 

“Shame?” Kesi said with a cruel grin. “That you are so lowly and honorless that you could only serve the military as a _doctor_ is so shameful that I could not possibly add to it.” The medic hung his head, unable to respond to that.  Sari could not help but feel a small bit of pity for him. 

“Like you have any honor yourself!” Sari snapped, struggling against her captors grip but to no avail. 

“I need you to test her,” Kesi continued, ignoring her taunt. “I want to be certain she has not been…tainted…by that heretic, if you get my meaning.” 

Sari froze in her struggles, catching immediately what he was talking about. She remembered what Vl’asuna told her and her hearts sank: she wanted to know if it was true, but not like this! Not by _him_! 

“But…sir…,” Telo protested. “The equipment here is not designed to…gerrk….” The poor man’s protest was cut short when Kesi grabbed him by the neck and lifted him cleanly off the ground. 

“Do not argue Telo…,” Kesi sneered. “Just do it….” He dropped the medic, whom fell onto his rump with a thud. The medic quickly got up and started looking through his equipment, looking for a suitable instrument to use. Finally he approached her with a small device. 

Sari hissed and kicked out at him, nearly succeeding in knocking the device out of his hands. In response, she was forced to her knees so she couldn’t kick anymore. Also, one of her captors restrained her head so she could not bite as Telo approached her again, this time succeeding in taking a small blood sample. Only then did they let her back up to her feet. 

The next couple of moments were the longest in Sari’s life as everyone was focused on Telo, whom was trying to keep his expression neutral. “Everything…seems fine,” He finally announced, his voice shaking. 

Sari watched as Kesi glared at him for a moment, then snatched the device from his hands and looked at the results himself. That feeling of dread returned as she watched him thrust the device back into his hands and approach her. “Kesi…no…don’t!” She heard Telo cry, but Kesi obviously wasn’t listening. 

She struggled, trying to break free and run to prevent what was going to happen. Panic set in and she thrashed wildly in her efforts to free herself and protect the innocent life that she now knew was within her. His minions tightened their grip on her, stopping her thrashing and Kesi punched her twice in the abdomen. Her breath was knocked out of her as she gasped in pain, dark spots entering her vision. She barely noticed they had let her go and she fell to the floor. Sobbing and feeling sick, she curled into a ball to protect herself from further blows, though in her hearts she knew it was a futile effort now. 

“You are to test her everyday to ensure that taint has been purged,” She heard Kesi growl at Telo. “And to inform me when she is at her most fertile again. I will be double checking your results…do not try to hide it,” Sari heard Telo mutter a faint affirmative and she heard Kesi and his minions start to leave. “Oh and Telo? For lying to me…no rations for two days.” 

Once everyone else had left, there was a long moment of silence. Finally, she felt gentle hands coax her to her feet and lead her to one of the infirmary beds. “I…I am sorry…,” She heard Telo whisper to her. “I…” 

Acting on impulse, Sari whirled around and smacked him across the face. Telo, more surprised then in pain, jumped back in shock. “Do not talk to me!” Sari hissed at him, hot tears flowing down her cheeks. “Leave me alone!” 

As she curled up on the bed, she immediately felt guilty for treating him that way, recognizing that he was as much a prisoner as she was. She was in no mood to apologize right now however, and just wanted to be left alone to mourn. To mourn for the innocent life that was taken before it could even begin and for herself for the return to the life she thought she had left behind forever….


	33. Denied

Despite the things that were on his mind, Rtas slept well last night, though the slight exhaustion probably helped with that. As he stirred awake, he recalled what he and Ella did last night and could not help but feel slightly guilty. It just seemed wrong to go fooling around with his girl when the Arbiter’s mate was missing. What happened in the past could not be undone, however. 

Yawning, he sat up in the bed and checked the time, taking note that it was midmorning. Ella, he noticed, seemed to still be sound asleep. That proved to be a mistaken assumption, as no sooner as he moved to get out of bed did a pair of arms wrap around his waist. “I wish I could stay longer Ella,” He told her. “But I cannot.” 

“I know,” Ella said softly, Rtas feeling her pull herself up so that her head was now on his shoulder. “I am allowed to wish, can I not?” 

Rtas chuckled and nuzzled her. Then out of the corner of his eye he noticed there was a message on the console. Wondering who would be sending messages at this time of day, he leaned over to check it. “Ah, that was quick,” He muttered to himself when he noticed where the message was from. 

“Who is it from?” Ella asked. 

“The DNA Archives,” Rtas replied as he started reading the message. As he read it, his eyes widened in shock. “I cannot believe it….” 

“What? What did it say?” 

Rtas remained silent for a moment as he reread the results a few more times to ensure he wasn’t dreaming or misreading it. “Kesi’s actions have made it personal for me now as well.” Rtas growled when it finally set in. “My younger sibling…is Sari….” 

\-- 

Zeno yawned as he waited with the Arbiter and Ambassador Johnson outside the Council room. The Arbiter was pacing in front of the door, impatiently waiting to be allowed in. He also looked very tired going by the bags under his eyes, evidence that the noble did not get much sleep last night. Johnson, on the other hand, looked refreshed and ready to kick some Council Elder ass, his steel-toed boot tapping on the ground in his own display of impatience. 

Like the Arbiter, Zeno did not get much sleep either, though for different reasons. First off, it took forever to contact all the crew on the _Shadow of Intent_. Second, some of said crew kept wanting to know _why_ they were being recalled, which waned on Zeno’s usually extensive patience. Last, he got an odd request last night from a higher up, a task that usually the detectives of the security teams did. He didn’t _mind_ the task to be honest; however, considering the amount of sneaking around he had to do to complete it, it ate up a lot of his time. On top of that, he did some research on how Kesi got through all the security. As a result, Zeno ended up only getting a couple hours of sleep last night. 

 _I have functioned on less._ He reminded himself. Besides, someone needed to keep a level head during this meeting, especially with the mood the Arbiter was in and he knew Johnson wouldn’t be much better. Watching him, Zeno knew the Arbiter was fast losing what patience he had: he was honestly surprised he hadn’t tried to break down the door yet. 

Finally, one of the attendants inside the room opened the door. Immediately, the Arbiter walked in, nearly knocking the man onto the floor. “About time…” Zeno heard him mutter as he and Johnson followed him in. 

“Tell me Arbiter…,” One of the Councilors said, sounding slightly annoyed and a bit tired. “What is so important that you insisted upon a meeting this early in the morning.” 

Zeno watched the Arbiter out of the corner of his eye, noting how he was trembling and fighting to keep himself from saying the first thing that was on his mind. “Elder Council…,” The Arbiter finally began evenly. “In your _infinite_ wisdom you have constantly concluded that Kesi was but a minor annoyance that did not require any direct action and barely any security measures to protect against,” Zeno could hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice. “How many times have I warned you of the threat he posed? How many times have I…and the humans…demanded that serious action be taken before he did something major?” 

“Get to the point Arbiter.” Another Councilor remarked, whom Zeno recognized as ‘Malic, the one that most opposed any kind of action against Kesi. 

“You did not consider Kesi’s theft of the _Material Reserve_ , along with the death of it’s entire Sangheili crew compliment and the kidnapping of the human crew as a major event,” The Arbiter continued. “Well now he has done something else even worse,” He banged his fist on the table, making a couple of the Councilor’s jump. “He has found a way to bypass the security of our fleet around Sangheilios and is now capable of raiding Sangheilios itself!” 

“Being a bit dramatic are you not?” Councilor ‘Malic said, looking a bit bored. “Even if what you said is true, there have been no reports of missing supplies or any other thefts beyond from the normal riffraff.” 

“With all due respect your Excellence…,” Zeno said before the Arbiter could reply. “You either did not look, or not very hard,” He then sent the information he had gathered to the Councilor’s consoles. After waiting a moment to allow them to read it, he continued. “As you can see, Kesi used a false ID to dock at one of our stations and requested a resupply. Then apparently sent a few men down to the surface. After those men returned to the ship, they hastily undocked and jumped into slipspace: it was only then that the dock officials realized something was not right.” 

“Taking supplies under a false name is considered a theft in my book,” Johnson commented. 

“What did those men that went to the surface do?” One of the Councilors asked, looking concerned. 

“They broke into my home and kidnapped Sari,” The Arbiter growled. “And seriously injured my friend, Vl’asuna ‘Mura.” 

There was silence for a moment in the chamber as the Councilors looked at each other. “You call this a _major event_ Arbiter, worse even then the theft of the _Material Reserve_. Yet I do not see it that way,” The cocky looking Sangheili leaned forward in his seat. “No lives were lost in this…raid…of his and as far as Sari is concerned…,” ‘Malic paused a moment. “I see as someone reclaiming something that was rightly his to control….” 

Zeno gulped, hardly believing what the Councilor had just said. He glanced at the Arbiter, whom was shaking with fury. “She is not a piece of property you fat aristocratic bastard!” The Arbiter suddenly snapped, slamming both fists on the table. 

“As a child of the enemy, I beg to differ!” ‘Malic snapped back, rising from his chair. 

“You call him an enemy…yet you do nothing about him!” The Arbiter growled. “Who will he kidnap next? Your daughters? Your sons? What will it take to get you spineless, useless, cowardly bastards to _act?_ ” 

“Mind your words Arbiter,” ‘Malic hissed. “Before we _remind_ you who is in charge here.” 

“Oh I know who is in charge…,” The Arbiter sneered. “A bunch of lazy political has-beens that only care about their own power and comfort and do nothing for the common people. None of you have done _anything_ lately that tells me you _deserve_ your positions!” 

Several of the Councilors were taken back by his accusation. ‘Malic however, looked furious. “How dare you accuse us so!” He growled. “You have no proof to support you accusations! We have always been supportive of our people!” 

“Then prove it!” The Arbiter challenged. “Give us permission to hunt down Kesi and make him pay for his crimes. You will get the credit!” 

There was a long moment of silence as the Arbiter and ‘Malic stared at each other, the other Councilors looking at each other nervously. “No,” ‘Malic said finally, his eyes narrowed dangerously. “For the reasons I stated before and for your acts of insubordination against the Council. Be glad we do not do more then just refuse your request.” 

The Arbiter growled and rose, looking like he was about to spring at the Councilor, but Zeno quickly grabbed him by the shoulder. “No Arbiter,” The SpecOps told him. “Any further action here will only make our position worse.” 

For a moment, Zeno feared the Arbiter would not listen. Finally, he turned and stormed out of the room, Zeno and Johnson having to run to catch up to him. “Well that was a waste of time…,” Johnson muttered. 

“We had to try…,” Zeno said. “To at least _appear_ we were going by the book.” 

“Now…,” The Arbiter growled as they exited the building, seeing Rtas waiting for them. “We must take matters into our own hands. Damn the Council.” 

“The _Shadow of Intent_ is ready Arbiter,” Rtas said. “We will find the _Righteous Justice,_ rescue Sari and make Kesi pay for what he has done, no matter the cost.” 

The Arbiter nodded solemnly. “You know what this will mean for us when we return?” He asked his old friend as they piled into the vehicle that was waiting for them. 

“I am well aware, Arbiter,” Rtas said grimly. 

“If those wrinkly gas bags give you any trouble afterward, you can be sure the folks at the UNSC will give them an earful,” Johnson said. “We will not stand idly by and just let you be punished for doing the right thing, Arbiter. Hell, if it comes down to it, I am sure High Command will give you a nice little home some place warm on Earth. It would be the least we could do.” 

“Let us not make such decisions until after Kesi is dealt with,” The Arbiter said with a growl. “With just us, it will take some time for us to find him.” 

“Arbiter, all you have to do is ask and I’ll make sure every available UNSC ship joins in the hunt,” Johnson assured him. “The more ships looking for this bastard, the better chance we have of finding him.” 

“Thank you Johnson,” The Arbiter managed a smile. “Rtas…can you send word to Ella for me. I would like her to make sure ‘Mura continues to get the care she needs.” 

“Of course Arbiter, I am certain she will not mind,” Rtas said. 

“O’fuzzball is not going to like being left behind…,” Johnson commented, to which the Arbiter agreed. 

“Unfortunately, with the condition she is in we cannot risk taking her with us,” He said. “I promised her I would give Kesi a few kicks for her.” 

The rest of the trip to the spaceport was quiet. No mirth between them, no wise cracks. What was about to be done was a serious matter. 

One that was too long in the coming…. 

\-- 

It had been so hard to keep the joy off his face as the Arbiter stormed out of the room. Hyso did allow himself a small smile as he and his fellow Councilors exited the room to return to their private quarters. Once in the privacy of his quarters, Hyso finally allowed himself to laugh with glee. 

“Oh this ended up so _perfect_!” He said to himself as he walked to his window, which afforded him a partial view of the front courtyard where he spied the Arbiter and his posse getting into a vehicle to leave. It did not escape his notice that Rtas was there, which made him smile wider. There was only one reason he knew of for the Shipmaster’s presence. 

“Go along little Shipmaster…you and the Arbiter go hunt him down without our consent and bring upon yourselves your own doom,” Hyso said, giggling. “The _moment_ you leave Sangheilios space...you will all be branded as traitors,” The Elder Councilor laughed. “And at least…the threat you pose to me will be over Arbiter…you will be nothing and you will wish you had died like any good Arbiter should have years ago!” 

He pulled himself away from the window and walked over to his private bar. He chose his favorite drink and poured himself a glass of the alcoholic beverage. Then he sat down in his favorite chair, feeling truly happy for the first time in months. “You did your job well Kesi…,” Hyso said quietly to himself as he took a sip of his drink, letting the intoxicant sooth his aging nerves. “But I will have the last laugh…,” He chuckled smugly. Hyso knew the Arbiter would not give up hunting Kesi until he had found him and cut his head from his neck: if the Arbiter was good for anything it was getting the job done no matter how long it took. “When you are gone, Kesi, your little colony will be wiped out and I will be safe from both the Arbiter and you….” 

There was no way of knowing that his gleeful self-bragging was not going unheard by spying ears….


	34. Going Outlaw

Rtas stood by the command chair as he watched the bridge crew make final preparations to depart from their consoles. He stood by it, but dare not sit in it just yet, instead running a hand over its smooth surface, a part of him wondering if he will ever sit in such a seat again after this. The gravity of what they were about to do just starting to set in on his hearts, but he knew there was no turning back now. Not for him and not for the Arbiter, whom had left the command of the _Shadow of Intent_ for this rogue mission to him. 

It was a wise decision on the Arbiter’s part, due to the mental state he was in. Someone with a cool head needed to be in charge of this, though in truth Rtas wasn’t that much more cooler headed in this regard. Especially in light of what he had recently discovered. _Oh how I would have loved to tell that bit of info to the Council’s faces._ He thought, knowing that Sari was not related by blood to Kesi would have wiped that smug look off Councilor ‘Malic’s face. However, since he did not meet up with the others before the meeting started, he lost that opportunity. _No matter, when this is over I will shove it in their faces._  

“Commander,” Rtas turned toward the speaker to see Zeno, whom saluted. “Everyone is onboard,” the SpecOps reported. 

“And the Ambassador?” Rtas asked. 

“Safely aboard the _Allegiance,_ Commander,” Zeno replied. “He is ‘phoning home’ as we speak to request aid from the UNSC fleet.” 

“Good. We will need all the ships we can get to track down Kesi’s location,” Rtas said. “I take it he is joining in on the hunt himself?” 

“Of course Commander,” Zeno said with a smile. “I do believe he is itching for some real action for once.” 

Rtas nodded. “Send word that he is to remain close to the _Shadow of Intent,_ ” he said. “No running off on his own,” The UNSC Frigate _Allegiance_ was one of a number of UNSC ships that now sported Sangheili slipspace drive technology, with more being refitted or built with it every year. Thus, Rtas did not need to worry about the _Allegiance_ lagging behind when they jumped. “Also make it clear that when we find the _Righteous Justice_ , to aim to disable, not destroy.” 

“Yes Commander,” Zeno said as he hopped into a nearby seat to send the message. After a couple of moments, he said: “Message sent and message received. His only response was ‘Spoil Sport’.” 

The Shipmaster chuckled at that, allowing a small amount of mirth for himself before getting started. “Activate the ships intercom ‘Ribal.” 

“Activated.” 

For a couple seconds Rtas said nothing as he searched for the words to say. “This is your Shipmaster speaking,” he started. “By now you are probably all curious as to what sort of short notice mission we are about to embark upon.” Rtas paused for effect before continuing. “For two years, the _Righteous Justice_ and its traitorous Shipmaster have been a rogue element, attacking and raiding our ships and those of our allies. For two years, our illustrious Council has done little about it, constantly brushing off our concerns and denying our requests to hunt him down. Now Kesi and his pirates have succeeded in doing the unthinkable: he has raided Sangheilios itself and kidnapped an innocent civilian in the process! Yet still the Council refuses to act!

“This has gone long enough my brothers! It is time to take matters into our own hands and do what needed to be done two years ago. This will be of great risk to us, for the Council will surely bring their warped sense of justice down upon our heads when we return. The repercussions of this day will no doubt be severe. Understanding this, I am giving anyone that does not wish to participate in this risky venture the chance to leave now, so your honor and your careers are untainted and I will hold nothing against you. Decide quickly, for the longer we wait, the longer it may take for us to find our query. ‘Vadum out.” 

It was only now that Rtas sat down in the command chair, breathing a sigh of resignation as he did so. “A wonderful speech Commander,” Zeno said. 

“I do not want to drag anyone down with me unless they are willing.” 

“With all due respect, Shipmaster,” one of the bridge crew said. “It would be _dis_ honor to _not_ go through with you on this. As you have said: this should have been done a long time ago.” 

“Indeed, but that is for each individual Sangheili to decide on their own,” Rtas pointed out. Then out of curiosity, he asked. “Any sign of people leaving?” 

Zeno took a moment as he accessed the info he needed. “No sir, everyone seems to be going about their normal duties.” 

Rtas couldn’t help but smile: he knew he and the Arbiter weren’t alone in being sick of the Council’s inaction. “Let us depart then. Disembark from the station and prepare for a slipspace jump.” 

“Disembarking and warming up the slipspace drive. Shipmaster, what will be the coordinates?” the Major at the navigational console asked. 

“The last known location of the _Righteous Justice_ ‘Vatem.” Rtas replied. “’Ribal, find those coordinates and pass them on to the _Allegiance_ as well.” 

“One step ahead of you Commander,” Zeno said with a grin. “Coordinates sent.” 

As the _Shadow of Intent_ and the _Allegiance_ pulled away from the station and away from Sangheilios, they knew it would be only a matter of time before their actions were noticed. “Commader,” Zeno said from his console. “We are being hailed by the Supercarrier _Eternal Truth_. It is the Imperial Admiral.” 

“I had a feeling this would happen. This should be interesting…,” Rtas said. “Patch him through.” Seconds later the holographic image of the Imperial Admiral appeared before him and he did not look happy. 

 _-Shipmaster ‘Vadum,-_ the Imperial Admiral growled. _–You have received no orders to disembark. What by the blood of our ancestors are you doing?-_  

“Doing what should have been done a long time ago your Excellence,” Rtas replied. “Going after Kesi.” 

 _-I have received no word that you have been authorized to do so ‘Vadum. Your are to stand down until I can get confirmation.-_  

“Ah but that is a problem Excellency,” Rtas said smoothly. “The Council has denied our request and so we are taking matters into our own hands.” 

The Imperial Admiral was quite shocked at this and took a moment to recompose himself. _-'’Vadum, are you out of your mind!? When the Council finds out they will…-_  

“No disrespect to yourself Excellency, but,” Rtas lifted one hand and clenched all digits but one of the ones in the middle(but not his pointing finger), the back of his hand facing the hologram. It was an approximate gesture, seeing as Sangheili had an even number of digits on their hands, but the message was clear enough. “Fuck the Council. Now if you would excuse me, we have a pirate to hunt.” 

 _-‘Vadum!-_ Was the only word the Imperial Admiral got out before Zeno cut the connection. 

“Slipspace drive all warmed up and ready,” ‘Vatem announced. 

“Let us go then, before the Imperial Admiral decides to send a couple of plasma torpedoes up our ass,” Rtas commanded. 

“Johnson would have enjoyed watching that exchange just now Commader,” Zeno said as the ship slipped into slipspace. 

“Yes I know. It will bite me in the ass later, but that sure felt good….” 

\-- 

Tala shoved a pirate out of her way as she ran, the pirate retorting with a curse but she did not care. Kesi had finally let her out of her cell and that smug look on his face told her that he had succeeded in his task. Her hearts felt sick when he told her where he had left her daughter, Tala fearing he had injured her gravely. 

She skidded into the infirmary and looked at Telo, too breathless from her run to speak. Telo nervously pointed toward the bed where Sari lay and Tala immediately made for it. Sari’s back was to her, but she could tell from her position that she was in pain, along with the sound of her sobbing softly. 

“Sari…,” Tala said, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. 

“Leave me alone…,” came a choked response, Sari shrugging her hand off. 

“Sari…it is me…,” Tala persisted, reaching for and stroking her daughter’s neck. 

“M…Mother?” Sari’s blue eyes opened and she slowly looked over her shoulder. Then she rolled up to a sitting position, facing her: Tala breathed a mental sigh of relief that she didn’t appear to be injured. The pale skinned female stared at her a moment, her mandibles slightly parted in surprise and shock. “Mother!” she cried as she suddenly wrapped her arms around her neck and began sobbing anew. 

“Oh Sari…,” Tala said softly as she embraced her daughter, tears welling up in her eye. “I have missed you so much….” 

“I thought I had lost you….” 

“Not yet my daughter, not yet,” Tala replied, rubbing her back. “I wish our reunion did not have to happen here….” 

Sari nodded in agreement and the pair remained in a tight embrace for a couple of moments before finally pulling away. “Talk to me Sari…,” Tala said. “Tell me everything that has happened with you these last couple of years.” 

Her daughter was hesitant at first, but then started to tell her everything that happened since Kesi disowned her. She learned that during most of those two years were spent on the streets, barely managing to find enough to stay alive. Her hearts leapt with both surprise and joy when Sari told her about how the Arbiter found her near death and ensured her return to health. Tala smiled with happiness when she recounted how they fell in love not long after. That smile turned into anger however, when she learned what Kesi just did: namely kill the unborn child Sari had only just learned was growing within her. 

“He will pay for this…I promise you,” Tala told her. “I will get you out of here.” 

“How mother?” Sari said, looking doubtful. “I know Azu will be out looking for me, Council be damned, but it may take weeks for them to find this ship.” 

“Let me worry about that,” Tala said, coaxing her to lay down again. “For now you must rest and save your strength.” 

As Sari tried her best to fall asleep, Tala stayed by her side. _Kesi…,_ she thought bitterly. _You have gone too far this time._ _But yet…,_ she looked down at her daughter. _I cannot help but wonder if you would have done to me what you did to her if you had learned about Anko and me…._  

\-- 

“ _Anko! This is a surprise,” Tala said when she opened the door to see him standing there._  

“ _Thought I would drop by for a visit to see how you are doing,” Anko said, a faint smile on his mandibles. “Your…husband is not here, is he?”_  

“ _Kesi? Oh no, he just left on a mission this morning,” Tala told him as she let him in. “How long will you be on Sangheilios?”_  

“ _Not long I am afraid,” Anko said regretfully. “This new war with these ‘humans’ is starting to get tedious. Weak creatures, but persistent and determined. They can be like a large pack of Unggoy when there are in large numbers in terms of lethality. Needless to say, the Hierarchs are committing a lot of resources in the effort to eradicate the vermin.”_  

“ _I am surprised the Hierarchs have not offered them a place in the Covenant like they have of those disgusting Jiralhanae.” Tala commented as the pair walked to the living room and each found themselves a seat._  

 _To that Anko just shrugged. “I am not one to question the Hierarchs methods, Tala,” he said. “Unless they say otherwise, humans are to be hunted down until they are extinct.”_  

“ _Fair enough I suppose,” Tala said. “How has your son been fairing?”_  

“ _Rtas?” A large smile formed on the male’s face, showing the pride he held for his only child. “He is fast becoming a fine warrior and stated he intends to join the Special Operations when he is first able.”_  

“ _Just like his dear old dad, eh?”_  

 _Anko chuckled at that. “Speaking of children, I am surprised you have not had any yourself. You always told me you wanted to have a dozen children.”_  

 _At that, Tala looked to the ground, sullen and ashamed at her failure. “Not due to lack of trying on my part,” she said. “Kesi and I…we mate every time he is home, but…nothing. I fear I may be barren, at least that is what Kesi is claiming. Yet he refused to allow me to be tested for problems.”_  

“ _And his pride, no doubt, would not allow him to suspect himself to be the problem,” Anko said with a snort._  

“ _His attitude toward me has changed because of it as well,” Tala said with a sigh. “I am starting to fear he may do something drastic if he does not get a ‘result’ soon. It is times like this that I wish I could have fought against this arranged marriage.”_  

 _Anko grunted in agreement, Tala recognizing a familiar longing in his eyes. A longing she shared, but because he was an aristocrat never voiced it to him: she suspected he didn’t either for the same reasons. A glimmer of an idea came to mind, but immediately she knew just how dangerous it would be to go with it. Her body trembled at the thought and Anko noticed. “What is wrong?” he asked._  

“ _Nothing,” Tala said, blushing faintly._  

“ _Yeah right. Something is on your mind. Out with it.”_  

 _Tala swallowed nervously before complying. “I…I had the thought that…perhaps you and I could mate, to see if it really_ is _me.”_  

 _Anko blinked at her in shock. “That is very risky Tala…adultery…”_  

“ _Not in this case…you_ are _an aristocrat,” she reminded him._  

“ _But if you get pregnant and with how Kesi has been acting toward you...both your lives will be at risk.”_  

“ _I know,” Tala said softly. “But this may be my only chance to have a child of my own.”_  

 _Anko still looked uncertain as he rose to his feet and started pacing. After a moment Tala got up and caught him in an embrace, surprising him. “Please Anko…,” she pleaded, feeling determined to go through with this idea. “I know how you feel about me…and you know how I feel about you. Even if we cannot be truly together, it would make me happy to have your child.”_  

 _She rested her head on his chest, hearing his hearts starting to beat faster and faster. Finally, she felt him wrap his arms around her and say. “Alright…for you…I do this…”_  

 _\--_  

Tala remembered that night, a night of long pent up passion finally being released. She had her regrets about what they had done, how her desperate act made it even harder on them both to be apart. _Oh Anko…,_ Tala thought sadly. _How I wish…I had listened to you._ She looked down at Sari one last time before leaving her side and headed straight for Telo, a determined look on her face. 

“You…,” she breathed a slightly angry tone in her voice. “You will need to atone for what you have brought upon her.” 

“I…I know…,” Telo said, gulping and looking at the floor. 

Tala said nothing more, instead leaving the infirmary. She had a lot of thinking and planning to do, if she was to figure out how and when to stage Sari’s escape….


	35. Sacrifice

Rtas rose from the command chair as the _Shadow of Intent_ went into slipspace once again and exited the bridge. Nearly a week had passed since they started their hunt and there had been little sign of the pirate ship. Even with almost all of the UNSC fleet and a handful of other Sangheili that had joined in the search hunting as well, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack the size of the entire galaxy. A mobile needle on top of that. At this rate, it was more likely they would find another Halo array then the _Righteous Justice._  

Fortunately, everyone’s spirits remained high since the hunt was still only just beginning and frustration had yet to set in. Yet he knew one whose hopes were fast waning and it was him he went to see. The Arbiter had largely kept to his quarters since the hunt started, appearing only briefly on the bridge a couple of times during the start. Each time he saw him then, Rtas knew the Arbiter was getting worse, falling deeper into despair: he feared what he would see when he reached his quarters. 

“Enter.” came the response when Rtas knocked. When Rtas entered the room, he was mildly surprised to see it still intact: he had been half-expecting the Arbiter to rip it to pieces in rage, at least at the start of the hunt. The Arbiter himself was lying on his bed, wearing only the skin tight battle suit part of his armor, the rest of it set semi-neatly on a chair nearby. Rtas watched as he looked up at him expectantly, hope in his eyes, but that hope faded when the Shipmaster had no choice but to shake his head. 

“The hunt has only just started Arbiter,” Rtas said, trying to sound reassuring. “We _will_ find the _Righteous Justice_ , especially now that it is not just us and the _Allegiance_ doing the hunting.” 

“You forget the galaxy is a big place, Rtas…,” The Arbiter said bitterly, now sitting on the edge of the bed. “And our query is mobile.” 

“It is only a matter of time…” 

“Time…how much of that do we have?” The Arbiter said, rising to his feet and starting to pace the room. “We do not know what Kesi intends to do with her,” his body shuddered at what Rtas imagined was a couple of possibilities. “And every day I go without knowing whether or not she is safe…the greater my pain gets. Now I know what She meant by Her warning….” 

“What warning?” 

The Arbiter looked at him, blinking, then shook his head. “It would take too long to explain,” he said. “It is…a personal thing.” 

Rtas grunted, not really believing him but decided to respect it. Instead, he changed the subject to his physical state. “How much have you slept or eaten since we started?” 

“Little of either,” The Arbiter replied with a heavy sigh. 

“You need both,” Rtas said, his tone slightly scolding. “You will need your strength for when we find the _Righteous Justice._ ” 

“I know, but my appetite is non-existent and sleep escapes me.” 

“Eat something anyway and the infirmary has sleep aids you can take.” 

“I do not think it would be wise for me to be drugged Rtas….” 

“We are currently in slipspace for the next several hours, so you have no excuse.” 

“Still I…” 

“Azu!” Rtas snapped, a part of him wanting to smack him for his stubbornness. “If not for me or yourself, do it for Sari. Do you think she would want you to try to rescue her in a sleep deprived, half-starved state? Kesi would make mincemeat out of you in your current condition, one eyed and all, and that would not do Sari good at all now, would it?” 

The Shipmaster smiled mentally, the point drove home, causing the Arbiter to wince. “Point taken…I shall…heed your advice.” 

Rtas stepped aside and allowed the Arbiter to exit the room. With a sigh, he followed him, hoping they do find the _Righteous Justice_ soon, for the Arbiter’s mental well being. 

\-- 

“Sir.” 

Kesi looked over at the Sangheili that spoke. “What is it?” 

“Our sensors are picking up something, cannot tell what it is, too small to pick up any details.” came the response. 

With a grunt, Kesi rose from his chair, wincing slightly due to the pain in his back: ever since that little wench hit him there his back had been bothering him. He ignored the pain though and walked over to the radar console and studied it for himself. “Could be another UNSC sensor probe,” he said with a grumble. “If it is, there is a good chance that it may have already sensed us and sent a report of our position to the nearest forces,” Kesi growled: they have been picking up a lot of those things lately. “We cannot take any chances: prepare for a slipspace jump.” 

“Yes Shipmater.” 

 _This has been occurring ever since I picked up that little wench,_ Kesi thought as he went to sit back down in his chair. _Am I being hunted? If so, Hyso you have failed to do your part!_  

\-- 

 ** _//Attention: Slipspace operations in ten minutes.\\\_**  

“Again?” Telo grumbled. “We just left slipspace a couple hours ago.” 

Sari grunted but did not make any comment as she sat on one of the beds, kicking her feet idly.  The pale-skinned female had remained in the medical bay since Kesi put her here, feeling there was no point in roaming the ship, especially not with this crew leering at her:  they do that enough when they came into the infirmary.  It was rather boring in all honesty, at least during the times when her mother wasn’t with her.  Telo she found to be rather annoying with his constant complaining and pessimism, not to mention his inability to stand up for himself. Still, she could not bring herself to hate him for what he did, especially since her mother was giving him enough grief for it as is. 

 _Mother…all this time I thought you were dead,_ Sari thought with a sigh. _Dear gods, what has Kesi done to you over the years?_ She had almost not recognized her mother when she first saw her, as badly scarred as she was. Tala was just as she remembered her otherwise: strong, determined and willing to do anything to ensure she was safe. A part of her did worry over what Tala may be planning, as she could tell in her eye that she intended to do something about her imprisonment. _Just do not do something that could get you killed Mother…,_ she thought. _I am not sure I can stand losing you again…._  

“It is time.” Tala said as she suddenly strode into the room, making them both jump. 

“Time…time for what?” Telo asked. 

“For you two and the remaining humans to make your escape.” 

“Ho…oh no…not that idea with the Phantom….” 

“Have you come up with any better ideas Telo?” when Telo didn’t respond, she added. “Thought not. Here,” the elder female shoved a data module into the medic’s hands. “That contains data on all of Kesi’s activities, including his little secret colony. It must get to allied hands.” 

“Mother…you are not coming with us?” Sari asked, jumping down from the bed. 

Tala shook her head sadly. “No my daughter, I must remain so I can disable the shield around the hanger.” 

“But Mother, I want you to be free as well….” Sari felt her hearts tearing at the thought of being separated from her again. 

“So long as you are free Sari…I am content…,” Tala glared at Telo and shoved him toward the door. “Go! You do not have much time: you need to get to the prison bay and free the humans first!” 

“But what about opposition?” Telo protested. “If any of them see me out side of this room I am dead for sure.” 

“It is the night cycle of the ship and so long as you take the maintenance tunnels you should be safe. Now grow a backbone and stop wasting time! I will disable the hanger bay shield just as the ship starts going into slipspace.” 

“That is cutting it too close!” Telo protested. 

“Any sooner and Kesi may get wise and halt the jump,” Sari growled as she pulled him out of the room. She really did not want to leave her mother behind, but recognized there was little choice. _I hope I see you again Mother…_. 

\-- 

Tala watched the pair as they ran down the corridor, Telo apparently finally finding some courage and taking the lead. Within seconds, they had disappeared into one of the many maintenance corridors that the Huragok once used. Fortunately, Kesi had the foresight to mark where each tunnel went after his coup over two years ago, else his maintenance crew would have gotten lost. Now Kesi’s consideration is going to be used against him. 

 _Good luck Sari,_ Tala thought, a single tear rolling down her cheek. _As much as I wish otherwise, I doubt we will see each other again. I love you._  

She forced herself out of her gloomy thoughts and went into a near by maintenance tunnel herself. The time to grieve will be later though, as right now she needed to do her part in ensuring her daughter’s escape. Messing up the ability for Kesi’s troops to communicate with each other is one of them…. 

\-- 

What gusto Telo had quickly evaporated once they were in the maintenance tunnels, forcing Sari to take the lead again, occasionally looking back to make sure Telo hadn’t run back the way they had come. To his credit, he hadn’t and, thanks to the markings on the tunnel walls, they were making steady progress to the prison bay. “How much time do we have left?” she asked as they finally reached the door that exited to the prison bay. 

“I do not know.” Telo confessed. “The announcements only sound off every five minutes, then every minute for the last five.” 

“Well, that should mean we still have at least five minutes,” Sari muttered. “Considering we have not heard another announcement yet.” 

“Unless we just could not hear it due to being in these tunnels….” 

“Telo…think positive will you?” Sari growled as she opened the hatch, only to come face to face with one of Kesi’s minions. The two blinked at each other, both two stunned at seeing each other at first. When the shock wore off, it was Sari that was quicker, lashing out with her hand and striking the pirate in the neck at a pressure point. As the pirate crumbled to the ground, unconscious, she jumped out into the hallway. “It is clear.” 

“Where the heck did you learn that?” Telo asked as he stepped out of the tunnel. 

“The Arbiter,” Sari said simply as she started inspecting the cells, Telo numbly following until they found the cell the humans were in. “Your show here, I do not know how to operate this.” 

She kept watch as Telo operated the controls and disabled the cell door. “Which of us are you bastards taking this time?” one of the humans, a slightly graying, black haired male snapped. 

“All of you,” Sari replied, looking around Telo. “We are getting off this ship.” 

At the sound of that the rest of the humans stirred, hope in their eyes for what must have been the first time in a long while. “That is music to my ears, miss,” the one that spoke before said with a smile. “Let us not waste any time then.” 

Before returning to the maintenance tunnels, they shoved the pirate Sari knocked out into the cell the humans once occupied and locked him in, but not before relieving him of his weapons. The leader of the group of humans, Captain Wilson was his name, took possession of the pirate’s needler, while another human took the plasma rifle. They then headed for one of the hanger bays via the tunnels as quickly and quietly as they could. The five minute warning sounding as they reached the hanger, where they realized they had a problem. 

“Gods…look at all those pirates…,” Telo said as he, Sari and the Captain looked out of the hatch. “We will never get to a Phantom without being noticed.” 

“And once we are noticed, Kesi will halt the slipspace jump no doubt,” Sari growled. “Ruining our chances of escaping in one piece. We need those guards to leave somehow….” 

\-- 

Captain Wilson looked at the guards by the Phantoms and closed his eyes, a faint frown on his face as he went into deep thought. Their two Sangheili rescuers were essentially non-combatants, and likely wouldn’t stand much of a chance against the battle-hardened pirates. The medic fella would likely be killed outright, while he wasn’t sure what they may do to the pale female. 

He really wanted to see his wife and kids again. However, every time he spied the data module on the medic’s belt, he remembered Tala telling him she intended to send critical information on Kesi’s activities with them should the opportunity to escape presented itself. If that module was the information Tala spoke of, it was essential that it got off this ship and into friendly hands. Kesi had to be stopped, no matter the cost and with that thought, he reached around his neck and removed his dog tags. 

 ** _//Slipspace operations will commence in four minutes.\\\_**  

“Ma’am,” he said, getting the pale female’s attention. “When you get to the other side, give this to my superiors.” 

“What…,” the female looked confused as she accepted it. 

Wilson hefted the Needler in his hands. “I’m going to be a distraction so you can get outta here.” 

“You will be killed…,” the medic said, looking a bit pale. 

“A lot more people, both Elite and human alike, will be killed if the information you carry doesn’t get to allied hands,” Wilson pointed out. “As soon as the coast is clear, get moving. You don’t have a lot of time before this ship goes into slipspace.” 

“Captain,” Wilson looked to see his fellow survivors removing their own dog tags and giving them to the female. “We’re with you.” 

“Don’t be foolish, you can’t _all_ do this…” 

“Sir I figure this…,” one of them said as they raided a nearby weapons crate. “The more of us there are doing this, the more likely these two will make it to the Phantom. As you said, if that information doesn’t make it to the right hands, a lot more people will die.” 

Wilson sighed with resignation: he’d much rather some of his men make it back safely, but he couldn’t argue with their logic. “Let’s go then men, and take out as many of those bastards as we can while we are at it!” 

With a loud ‘oorah!’, the last surviving crewmembers of the _Material Reserve_ charged out into the hanger bay, weapons blazing….


	36. Escape

Sari watched dumbfounded as the humans, courageously, charged at the guards and chaos ensued. The humans, even in their weakened state, were giving the guards a hard time, partly due to the element of surprise. She knew in her hearts though that they most likely would be recaptured or killed before they took out a significant number of pirates, not to mention the likely hood of reinforcements arriving at any moment. The pale skinned female looked at the necklaces the humans gave her, noting how the tag on each one had a name and a series of numbers on them and guessed that these were mementos of service to their military. 

 **_//Slipspace operations will commence in three minutes.\\\_  ** 

The announcement reminded her on why the humans choose to sacrifice themselves: they did not have much time to act themselves. Keeping low, she ducked out of the hatch and behind one of the weapons crates the humans pillaged. She then inspected their options in regards to getting to the Phantoms. There were a couple of ramps further down and closer to the Phantoms themselves, but that would require them getting too close to the action. 

“How are we going to get down there?” Telo asked after he finally joined her behind the crate. 

“We jump down,” she replied simply, looking over the railing. There were a couple of crates just below their position. Sari looked toward the firefight on the other end of the room to ensure no pirates were looking their way before climbing over the railing and letting herself drop below. The crate she landed on wobbled and she lost her balance, sending her toppling backwards. She landed on her back and momentarily she was stunned. 

“Are you alright?” Telo said after jumping down himself, landing in a neat roll. 

“I am fine,” Sari said after shaking her head to clear the stars out of her vision. She and Telo stayed behind the crates for a moment to gauge the reaction of the rest of the room: fortunately, no one noticed them jumping down, save perhaps the humans and they weren’t about to tell. They then directed their attention toward the Phantoms. 

“Which one?” Telo asked. 

Sari rolled her eyes at the question. “The closest one of course,” she replied. “We do not have time to be choosy.” Together they rushed forward toward the nearest Phantom, only stopping behind more cover when Sari felt they were at risk of being spotted. Sari noticed to her sorrow that she could only see half of the humans still fighting. 

 **_//Slipspace operations will commence in two minutes.\\\_  ** 

There was no time to mourn for them right now. Sari made a run for the Phantom, Telo lagging a couple of seconds behind her. She ran up the boarding platform, stopping just inside the doorway. Once Telo was in, she found the controls to the hatch and closed the door. “I hope you know how to fly this thing,” she said. 

“Of course, it is part of our training no matter what position we are in,” Telo replied. “You do realize though that the moment I start this thing up the pirates will know what is going on….” 

“We have no choice. Get this thing started. If we are lucky, any humans still alive will redirect the pirate’s attention toward them.” 

Telo grunted as he sat down in the pilot’s chair and started working on the console. “Provided that is, Kesi has not found out about the escape and halted the slipspace jump….” 

“That we just heard an announcement suggests that either he has not or does not believe the humans will manage to escape,” Sari craned her neck toward the Phantom’s ceiling: over the sound of the Phantom starting up and the firefight outside, she believed she heard another announcement. “I think we just got our one minute warning.” 

“Tala said she would disable the shields just before the ship goes into slipspace….” 

“Which could be just about now would it not?” Sari then jumped as something hit the aft hatch. “They know….” 

“The door is locked, they will not get in.” 

“That is the first time I have heard you sound confident,” Sari remarked as she took the co-pilot’s seat, though she knew she would be of little help here. 

“Wish I could feel it…,” Telo muttered before saying. “Here we go…” 

Sari gasped as the Phantom lurched forward, pressing her into her seat. She saw something flashing on Telo’s console and a warning sound blared. On one of the view screens, she saw a bluish white light that was rapidly getting brighter and closer. Sari gripped the edges of her seat as Telo jerked the controls to the right, the light now replaced by the darkness of space. 

“Oh no…,” Telo said as more warning symbols popped up on his screen and warnings blared. “The wake of the portal is trying to suck us in!” 

“Wha…what happens if we go into slipspace in this?” 

“We die…,” Telo said grimly, his mandibles tight as he fought to keep the Phantom away from the portal. “If…if we can keep away from it long enough for the _Righteous Justice_ to enter it fully we should be fine….” 

Sari looked at the view screen that showed what was to the right of the Phantom, seeing the massive bulk of the _Righteous Justice_ slipping by, a bit too slowly for Sari’s tastes. She glanced at what had to be the screen showing what was behind the vessel, seeing the bluish light of the portal filling it. “Can you not make this thing go faster or something?” 

“Sari…I have already maxed out the engine on this. Any more and it may fail!” 

Gulping nervously, hints of panic starting to cloud her mind, she stared at the right view screen. Finally, she saw the end of the _Righteous Justice_ , but it seemed to be at standstill for a few heart pounding seconds. At last, the end of the _Righteous Justice_ slipped by them and the resistance seemed to have lessened. 

Before Sari and Telo could sigh with relief however, the portal itself showed it’s displeasure at failing to capture them. Upon closing, a powerful shock wave shot out, which slammed into the vulnerable Phantom. The last thing Sari remembered before her head hit the console was her own scream…. 

\-- 

“Anything?” 

“No Shipmaster,” came the response. “Our scanners are not picking up anything in this sector.” 

Rtas grunted in response: it was looking like Kesi wasn’t going to be found in this system, but there were still a couple more sectors to check before moving on. 

“Commander,” Zeno piped up. “The _Allegiance_ is hailing us, patching them through.” 

The Shipmaster nodded in acknowledgement and within moments Ambassador Johnson’s voice graced their ears. - _I am guessing you haven’t picked up anything.-_ The Ambassador said, Rtas noting it was a statement and not a question. 

“That much should be obvious,” Rtas replied. 

 _-Well I got some good news, or bad news depending on your point of view.-_  

“Spit it out and let us decide for our ourselves,” Rtas grumbled. 

 _-One of our fleets happened to send one of their sensor probes to this system and it picked up something about the size of the_ Righteous Justice _,-_ Johnson said. _–Unfortunately, it had left just moments before we arrived in the system.-_  

Beside himself, Rtas slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. “If it was that bastard, he likely detected the probe and fled like the coward he is!” he growled. 

“So we likely just missed him…how typical,” Zeno grumbled, looking disappointed. 

 _-Hold on…,-_ There was a moment of silence as Johnson conversed with one of his crew. _–The probe just reported something else. It’s small though and in the area that other ship was last detected.-_  

“Could be anything Commander,” Zeno cautioned, as he looked through the information he was just sent. “Could be anything from a piece of space junk to a small ship. It _is_ located in a sector we have yet to inspect however.” 

Rtas mulled this over for a moment. “Any indication that this thing was there before the larger contact disappeared?” 

There was another moment of silence as Johnson relayed the question. _–Not as far as we know Shipmaster,-_ Johnson replied. _–It is possible it was there before but not detected because of the larger contact masking it.-_  

The Shipmaster thought it over a few moments more. “Plot a course there,” he announced. “But be ready for anything.” 

 _-Roger that._ Allegiance _out.-_  

As his crew put in the appropriate commands, Rtas’ mind was working over the possibilities of this object the probe detected and the reasonable reactions to each possibility. As Zeno said, it could be anything. 

Even a trap. 

\-- 

Captain Wilson didn’t even try to struggle as a rather annoyed Kesi lifted him up by the neck, his remaining red eye glaring at him. He and the other three surviving humans hadn’t expected to survive the firefight they got into, but they did and now he was envious of the four that perished. Now he had been taken to the bridge to answer to Kesi himself. “What did you hope to accomplish human?” the pirate leader growled. “You only succeeded in accelerating your own trips to our stomachs.” 

“Better to die fighting,” Wilson spat. “Isn’t that what you lizards believe in?” 

“Do not mock me…vermin,” Kesi growled. “You are nothing but food!” 

“Shipmaster, what about the Phantom that left the hanger just as we entered slipspace?” one of his minions asked. 

“Any humans that were piloting would not be a threat to us. A shame really to lose the nutrition they would have provided though…,” Kesi said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Besides, we can always get more….” 

“But…Shipmaster…,” the minion countered. “All the humans have been accounted for.” 

Wilson enjoyed the look of shock on Kesi’s face when it sunk in. “Then…who was on the Phantom?” 

“Shipmaster!” another of his lackeys came bursting into the room. “The medic is gone!” 

This surprised Kesi so much that he dropped him, though Wilson didn’t bother making a break for it. With his injuries, he wouldn’t get far and he had no place to go anyway, not with the ship currently in slipspace. “Are you certain!?” Kesi growled. 

“Yes Shipmaster, we searched the whole ship including the tunnels. That pale female is missing as well.” 

This really got Kesi’s ire. “Why did you not tell me this sooner!” 

“We tried Shipmaster,” the minion backed away submissively. “But our communications are still on the fritz!” 

Wilson watched as Kesi seemed to go through various emotions, though what many were he could not tell since he had yet to learn all of the Elite facial expressions. It was amusing anyway and made the pain and sacrifice he and his men go through worth it. “That’s right lizard,” he said smugly. “Those two were the ones in that Phantom: we just volunteered to be a distraction,” Kesi snarled and grabbed him by the shirt, lifting him off the ground again: the fury on his face was evident. “What ya going to do about it one-eye?” Wilson mocked. “By the time you turn this bucket around and go back they’ll be long gone….” 

“We will see about that…,” Kesi hissed, throwing him to the ground. “As soon as we exit slipspace we are to go back to our previous coordinates!” he barked. 

“But Shipmaster…” one minion protested. “Surely by now someone has received that probes report and is on the way there….” 

“I do not care!” Kesi snapped. “I will _not_ let the Arbiter get her back! And that blasted Telo will wish he died with the rest of the old crew when I get my hands on him! And as for you!” Kesi rounded on Wilson. “I will be sure to save you for last! Perhaps I will not even bother killing you first....” 

As he was taken back to the prison, Wilson sighed heavily. Now he _really_ envied those that died in the fight.


	37. Rescue?

“Ugh….” Sari moaned as she returned to consciousness: she felt like she had been run over by a speeding vehicle. Carefully, she moved her limbs, feeling the cool metal of the Phantom’s interior beneath her. _Guess that means I am not dead yet…_ She thought as she opened her eyes. 

“Oh good…you are awake,” she heard Telo say and within seconds, he was kneeling beside her. “I feared you would be out for some time….” 

“Wha…what happened?” 

“The shockwave from the portal closing hit us,” Telo explained as he checked her vitals, Sari noticing he had pulled out the vessel’s first aid kit. “We both were knocked out: I only woke up a few minutes ago myself,” he pointed to the bruise on his forehead. Sari grunted in acknowledgement and reached up to rub her head, only for him to stop her. “Careful, you do not want to start bleeding again,” he warned. 

Sari blinked, then carefully felt the area where she was about to rub. She felt a sticky substance, a temporary bandage, on the brow ridge above her right eye. “I must have hit that console pretty hard…,” she muttered. 

“Yes, it is fortunate it was not a serious bleeder,” Telo said. “You would have bled to death before we even woke up otherwise.” 

She looked at the console where she had been sitting before and saw the bloodstain, an involuntary shudder passing through her body when she realized just how lucky she was. “How long were we out?” 

“An hour, give or take,” Telo replied with a sigh as he returned to the pilot’s seat. “The good news is that we did not hit anything while this ship was…um…pilotless. The bad news is that the shockwave knocked out our engines.  Worse, the power core is damaged.” 

“Wha…what does that mean?” 

“It means the power source is likely unstable and could go out on us at anytime,” Telo said grimly as he worked on the console. “I am shutting down non-essential functions and keeping only basic communications and sensors online. Have you experienced zero gravity before?” 

“N…no….” 

“Well, I hope you have a strong constitution,” he hit a button and suddenly Sari felt like she weighed nothing. She tried to stand up, only to find herself propelling upward, forcing her to raise her hands to stop herself from hitting the ceiling. That resulted in her going back down: it was as if she had no control over where she went and it was very disorienting. She finally managed to grab a hold of the co-pilot’s seat and clung to it. Looking toward Telo, she saw him just hanging in mid air with a slightly amused smirk on his face: she wanted to smack him. 

“It feels like my insides are trying to rearrange themselves…,” she grumbled. 

“You will get used to it,” Telo said with a shrug. “It will take a bit to get the hang of it, but only use as much force as you need to get around in zero-g. It is similar to swimming underwater actually, only you do not have the resistance of the water around you so much less force is needed.” 

“I think I will stay right here….” 

Telo simply shrugged again before adding. “I have activated the distress beacon; hopefully friendly forces hear it before we lose power completely.” 

“What happens if we lose power?” 

“Well…without power to the life-support systems, we will eventually suffocate or freeze. How long it will take for either I do not know.” 

“Lovely…,” Sari grumbled. “You know, you sound a lot more confident now then you did back on the _Righteous Justice_.” 

Telo seemed to blush a bit, turning his head away. “Perhaps it is because I no longer have Kesi and his threats hanging over my head anymore….” 

She could agree with that logic. 

\-- 

“Any sign of the object?” 

“No Shipmaster, it either moved out of the probes range or was a false reading.” 

Rtas tapped a claw on the arm of his chair, a part of him wondering if this was going to end up being a waste of precious time. “I doubt it was a false reading,” he muttered, barely loud enough for the others to hear. “Keep searching. I want to know what it was the probe picked up, even if it turns out to be nothing but trash!” 

“One man’s trash is another’s treasure,” Zeno quipped, earning him a glare from Rtas. “Well Commander, if it _is_ trash there may be useful info found within it after all.” 

Rtas sighed and shook his head, realizing that Zeno was right: as a Recon specialist, Zeno knew that sometimes the most unusual source could yield critical information. Debris from the _Righteous Justice_ may yield clues as to where Kesi had been, or possibly even where he was going. At least possibly confirm the destroyer-sized ship the probe detected previously _was_ the _Righteous Justice._  

After a couple of moments Rtas noticed Zeno was making odd head movements. He’d tilt it one way, then another: at one point, he looked like he was going to twist his head off with how extreme he had tilted it. Rtas rarely saw him do this, but he knew what it meant. “Do you hear something Zeno?” 

The SpecOps held up a finger, Rtas nodding in acknowledgement to give him a moment. The bridge fell silent as everyone respectfully allowed Zeno time to work it out. Granted, it was rather silly of him to be contorting his head as he was, since he was listening to something in his ear piece, but Rtas knew it was just a habit he got into. “Commander,” Zeno finally said. “I think I hear a distress signal, but it is weak.” 

“From where?” Rtas asked. 

“Having the _Allegiance_ assist in pinpointing it now, Commander,” Zeno replied after working on his console briefly. After a moment he said. “Cannot get an exact location, but we got a general area. It is nowhere near where the probe initially detected it either.” 

 _The shockwave from the slipspace portal must have propelled it that far,_ Rtas mused. _And a distress signal means a ship of some sort, or an elaborate trick._ It bore further investigating either way. “Point us in that direction then,” He announced. “Let us find out what this thing really is.” 

\-- 

“I am not sure how much longer we are going to last,” Telo said grimly as he studied the figures on the console. A couple of moments ago he told her he was shutting off the sensor systems, but evidently, that did not help any. “The power core is starting to fail….” 

“Without power…no life support…no life support, we freeze or suffocate,” Sari muttered, not liking their chances and panic starting to set in. “I…I do not want to die like this…I want to be with Azu again!” Tears welled up in her eyes and eventually broke away into droplets that floated in mid-air before her. She blinked, surprised and feeling strangely amused by this, reaching up with a finger to poke one of the droplets. 

“In zero-g, everything floats weightless,” Telo explained, smiling faintly at her reaction. “Even liquids, including tears.” 

“If that is so, then the blood in our bodies….” 

“Our blood is sealed within our bodies Sari,” Telo said. “And it keeps moving the way it is supposed to due to the beats of our hearts. Now, if you got a cut or other wound, the blood that escapes will float freely.” 

“Oh gods…does that mean it will all float out of me if I get hurt?” Sari asked, feeling a bit worried. 

To her annoyance, Telo started laughing and Sari glared at him for his mirth, not liking that he was making fun of what she considered a serious question. “No Sari!” He said reassuringly after a moment. “Our bodies will attempt to seal the wound itself still, no matter where we are. Depending on the severity of the wound, outside assistance may be needed of course.” 

“I see.” Sari sighed, realizing that she still had so much to learn. Then again, wasn’t it usually only the males that learned this kind of stuff anyway? She felt she would need to pick Azu’s brain on such matters later. _Azu…_ Sari thought, suddenly realizing that the conversation of the last couple of minutes was nothing more then a distraction from their immediate peril. _Will I ever see you again?_  

The lights started to flicker and Sari, even with her limited knowledge of things, knew that could not be a good sign. She knew her worries were matched by Telo, going by his expression. “At least we will die free…,” he muttered. 

“But I want to live…,” Sari said, tears coming anew. This time the fact they floated did not distract her this time. 

“So do I…,” Telo said softly. “But whether we live or die now is not in our hands anymore,” He floated to her and hugged her. “If it is meant to be, at least, we are not alone.” 

Sari found that to be of little comfort, though the power going out completely at that moment was even less so…. 

\--

 “Shipmaster!” Tegs announced. “We found the object. It is a Phantom.” 

“A Phantom…out here by itself?” Rtas said the confusion in his voice obvious. 

“Commander, it appears to be damaged and lost power,” Zeno added. 

“How long ago did it lose power?” 

“Just a moment ago it seems, as that is when the distress signal stopped,” Zeno replied. “However, it also bares that pirate’s markings.” 

 _So that was the_ Righteous Justice _the probe detected…,_ Rtas thought with a faint growl. _But why send a lone Phantom out like this?_ Two possibilities came to mind: one was that Kesi decided to leave a little surprise for anyone that decided to investigate the probes report. The other was…. 

The Shipmaster sprang to his feet when it hit him. “Send out a rescue crew immediately!” he said. 

“Commander?” Zeno said questioningly. 

“We cannot ignore the chance that someone attempted to escape the _Righteous Justice_ ,” Rtas explained. “However do exercise caution.” 

“Oh! Of course Commander!” Zeno said as he got to work relaying his command. 

Rtas sat back down in his chair, a new question popping up in his mind. _Who would try to escape?_ He pondered. Sari wouldn’t know how to pilot a Phantom, so someone else had to have piloted it. That means it was either a surviving human or a traitor to Kesi’s cause was piloting. _Sari…_ He thought as he stared at the image of the Phantom on the view screen. _Is it possible that you are on there?_  

\-- 

The power had only been off for a few minutes, but it was already starting to feel cooler then it was before, or was that just her imagination? Either way, she found herself pressing against Telo even harder, the two trying to share their body heat with each other to extend their lives, even if it was a futile effort. If the dropping temperature didn’t kill them, the lack of breathable air will. 

Then she felt something odd, though it was hard to pinpoint what it was. Being in complete darkness and zero-g completely negated any sense of which way one was going, yet for some reason she felt their direction had changed. She shook her head, thinking it some trick her mind was playing on her. 

“Something is happening…,” Telo said suddenly, startling her slightly. 

“You felt it too?” Sari asked, comforted that she wasn’t going crazy. 

“Yes. Not sure what though.” 

All they could do was wait in silence, a small glimmer of hope swelling in their breasts, though the wait was maddening. Then something unexpected happened: gravity returned. The pair suddenly found themselves on the floor of the Phantom again, both yelping in pain when they landed awkwardly. “Telo…,” Sari said hesitantly. “I…I am not sure…but I think we have been rescued….” 

“Yes…but by whom?” Telo said grimly. “For all we know, we could have been picked up by the Brutes….” 

That wasn’t a very pleasant thought at all. Sari may not have ever _seen_ a Brute, but she had certainly heard about what they liked to do with prisoners….


	38. Reunion

When Rtas messaged him that they had found a Phantom and were bringing it in, he immediately donned his armor and went to the hanger bay. The Arbiter didn’t know why he was so eager, knowing in his hearts the chances of Sari being on the vessel was slim to none. Perhaps he was hoping there were some juicy pirates inside it he could beat the crap out of for information, as well as something to vent his simmering frustration and despair on. Whatever the reason for it, that this was the first _result_ of their search was a good thing regardless. 

Upon entering the hanger bay, he was advised to hang back while the Phantom was checked over for signs of tampering: the chance this was an elaborate trap by Kesi was high. From his position, he could see the damage on the vessel, some of it old, but most of it was fresh, especially on the aft section: it looked like it had gotten into a minor rear end collision. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zeno walk up beside him, no doubt waiting for his chance to get into the Phantom’s systems to get whatever intel he could. 

The Phantom was apparently clear of traps, at least on the outside, so the crew started working on opening the ship. He watched as they attached an external power source to it, to give it enough power to open the aft hatch. However, the hatch was jammed, likely due to whatever had inflicted the damage to the aft section. After hearing some grumbling, the hanger crew determined where the jam was and set to it with cutting torches. A few moments later, the hatch finally opened. 

Immediately, the hanger crew stepped back and drew their weapons, bracing themselves for the worse: the Arbiter himself felt his hand go to rest on the hilt of his energy sword as he brought himself closer. For a couple of tense moments, nothing emerged. Then, in the deepest parts of the ship, he thought he saw movement, the other’s tensing as they saw it as well. Finally someone came into the light, hands up in a gesture of surrender, someone short and pale…. 

“Sari!?” The Arbiter cried, his hearts leaping in both shock and joy. 

“Azu….” Sari replied, the Sangheili around her that were pointing their weapons at her now quickly lowering them. 

For a very brief moment, they just stared at each other, both as if wondering if this was a dream. It was Sari that woke up first, exploding into a sprint that surprised the other Sangheili. Next thing the Arbiter knew, he was on the floor, Sari on top of him as they embraced each other tightly. He knew he was getting odd looks from this, but he didn’t care. His precious Sari was back and that was all that mattered to him at this very moment. Finally, they let go of each other long enough to return to their feet. “Sari…,” He said softly as he nuzzled her neck. “I feared I had lost you forever….” 

“Not yet my love…,” Sari replied as she did her best to nuzzle back: his armor was in the way. “Not yet….” 

“How did you….”

His query was interrupted when a second figure emerged from the Phantom, the hanger crew quickly pointing their weapons at him. This individual was obviously rather timid, if not outright cowardly as he stumbled back and fell on his rump. The Arbiter noticed he was wearing the armor of a medic: figures. “It is ok!” Sari said, pulling away from him slightly. “He was a prisoner like I was.” 

“Th…thank you Sari….” the shaken man said as he got back onto his feet. 

“Azu…this is Telo, he was the only medic onboard the _Righteous Justice._ ” Sari said, gesturing to him. 

“Arbiter…,” Telo said, blinking at him wide eyed. “Never thought I would get a chance to meet you.” 

“How did you wind up with a bunch of pirates?” The Arbiter asked. “You do not seem the type to go along with that crowd willingly.” 

“I…I was part of the original crew,” Telo explained. “My brother, Tora, spared me when Kesi purged all those not loyal to him over two years ago. Since I was…easy to control…Kesi kept me around since he needed a medic….” 

“As much as I would love to hear all the ‘how did’s’ and ‘why’s’,” Zeno cut in, coming forward. “I need to know if there is anyone else on that Phantom.” 

“There is no one else…sir., Telo replied. 

“Oh goodie! Now to see what intel I can pull from it…” 

“Actually that will not be necessary,” Sari told him. “Telo…the module…” 

Telo pulled the data module off his hip and handed it to the SpecOps. “This contains everything on Kesi’s activities…,” the medic said. 

“How did you…,” Zeno’s eyes lit up, looking like a kid in a candy store.” Nevermind…not important! I need to look through this!” 

After the SpecOps ran off looking like a giddy child, the Arbiter said. “Let us get you back to my quarters Sari, I am certain you are exhausted from your ordeal….” 

“With all due respect, Arbiter,” Telo spoke up. “I would rather she head to the infirmary to ensure there was no lasting damage….” 

The Arbiter felt Sari stiffen in his arms. “Why?” She asked. “I already know it is gone….” 

“What is gone?” The Arbiter asked, concern edging into his voice. 

Sari looked up at him, eyes filled with sorrow. “Our child….” 

He took a step back in shock, feeling like he was just stabbed in the gut. “The moment he had her on board, Kesi forced me to check to see if she was pregnant,” Telo explained, guilt in his voice. “I…I tried to lie about the results, but he saw through it. He struck her….” 

“It was ‘Mura that first made me suspect,” Sari added, her voice quivering. “But I did not even get a chance to tell you that much….” 

“He will pay for this…,” The Arbiter growled. “And after he has paid his due we _will_ try again. I promise. For now, let us make sure you are alright.” 

As he started to guide Sari out of the hanger, he heard Telo call out to him. “Excellency….” 

“Yes Telo?” He replied, looking over his shoulder. 

The medic looked toward the floor. “Wh…what should I do? My association with Kesi, not that me being a medic helps in the first place, has tainted me and I would like to regain what honor I had. I feel…a bit lost…however…on how to do that….” 

The Arbiter thought a moment. “I cannot help you much due to your chosen profession, however if you are serious about making amends, this ship is short on medical personnel. With the upcoming battle that is sure to be soon, they will need the help. It would be good for you to be in a place where Zeno will easily find you anyway, as I am sure he will have questions.” 

“Th…thank you Arbiter.” 

\-- 

The trip to the infirmary was quiet, the Arbiter surprisingly not asking about how they escaped. Sari surmised that he felt it was more important to ensure she was truly all right. Besides, she preferred just being close to him right now. Once at the infirmary, the medics there did a few tests, determining that she will be fine, and just needed time to heal completely. Telo made himself right at home, the medical staff grateful for the additional help. 

On the way to the Arbiter’s quarters, they met up with Rtas. “Ambassador Johnson is on his way here,” he said. “I am certain he would want to know the fate of the humans aboard the _Material Reserve_ if you know it.” 

Sari remembered the dog tags she had around her neck for the first time since putting them on, and she felt them with one hand, remembering what Captain Wilson requested of her. “I do,” she said softly. 

The Shipmaster nodded. “While we wait for him then, there is something I need to tell you,” After a brief pause he added. “Both of you.” 

“What is that, Rtas?” The Arbiter asked. 

“When we get to your quarters,” Rtas said, waving a hand. 

“Very well,” The Arbiter sounded slightly annoyed, but curious as well. Sari herself was curious: what was so important that Rtas wanted to ensure some privacy first? They would not have to wait long, as they reached the Arbiter’s quarters a moment later. “Alright, out with it.” The Arbiter said after he and Sari took a seat on the bed, Rtas sitting on a chair.

“You remember that message Johnson found?” Rtas asked. “The one from my father?” 

“I do. What was on it?” 

“I found out I had another sibling,” the SpecOps Commander said. “And that sibling is Sari.” 

Sari felt her hearts leap into her throat. “Are…are you sure about that?” she asked, though she really wanted it to be true.” 

The Shipmaster nodded. “Father did not know your name and could not remember your mother’s full name due to the onset of death, but he revealed enough for me to do a search. A DNA comparison has confirmed your relationship to me.” 

“Th…then that means…that means….” 

“Kesi is not your sire, but Anko ‘Tidumee is.” 

She felt lightheaded and leaned against the Arbiter for support: it was a good thing she was sitting down, else she probably would have fainted. It was an odd thing; she had wished often that Kesi wasn’t her father, yet now that her wish came true it was still a big shock. 

“Do you know what this means brother?” The Arbiter said excitedly. “She can be rid of his name permanently! No longer will she have to bare his taint!” 

Sari wanted to ask why her mother hadn’t told her the truth, but in her heart’s she knew the answer already. The only reason she was still alive, was because Kesi thought she was his. _Such a burden you had to bare Mother…,_ she thought. _You must have wanted to tell me the truth so badly…if only to heighten my spirits._  

Rtas was nodding. “Yes and Hyso can no longer use her against you, Arbiter.” 

“And I cannot wait to shove that in his face!” Arbiter paused and blinked. “Wait…if Sari is your younger sister…then that means….” 

There was a smirk on the Shipmaster’s face as he replied. “Yes Arbiter, it means that technically you are my brother-in-law.” 

\-- 

Johnson arrived a moment later and they met with him on the bridge. There Sari gave him the dog tags and explained what happened. “When this is over…I will ensure they get the highest honor.” The Ambassador said solemnly. 

“There is a chance some may still be alive,” Sari pointed out. “I know four of them were still standing as I got into the Phantom.”

 “Miss, with these in my hand they consider themselves KIA,” Johnson pointed out. “So in my opinion, the moment we lay eyes on that damn ship we can just blast it out of the sky.” 

“No you cannot!” Sari snapped, surprising him and a few others in the room. “My…my mother is still onboard that thing!” 

“Your mother?” Rtas said, raising a brow slightly.

 “Yes,” Sari replied. “She is the one that arranged our escape and compiled the data your SpecOps is currently drooling over.” 

“Very juicy data….” Zeno confirmed without looking up from his console. 

“How did she manage all that without Kesi catching her?” The Arbiter asked. 

“I…I do not know,” Sari replied honestly. “I guess Kesi does not view her as capable of doing anything like that. Who knows what she learned to do to mess up his plans over the years….” 

“That settles it then,” Rtas said, getting everyone’s attention. “When we find the _Righteous Justice_ , we will disable the ship and rescue any prisoners still alive. Personally, I would rather ensure Kesi meets his end personally myself. Do you not agree Arbiter?” 

“Only if I can be there with you,” The Arbiter replied with a faint snarl. “I owe him twice over….” 

“Shipmaster!” One of the bridge crew announced. “I am picking up slipspace disruptions!” 

“What?” Rtas said, surprised. “Who….?” 

“Multiple ships…Sangheili,” Tegs announced. “Shipmaster, it is the _Eternal Truth_ and its fleet!” 

Sari saw her brother pale slightly and mutter a few curses. Why he did so she had no clue, though she was about to find out. “It is hailing us,” Zeno said, sounding slightly annoyed at being interrupted at his task. 

It took a moment for Rtas to regain his composer. “Patch it through,” He said and a moment later the Imperial Admiral’s holographic representation appeared. “Let me guess your Excellence…” Rtas said calmly. “The Council sent you after us to force us to return home.” 

 _-On the contrary,-_ The Imperial Admiral replied. _-We are here to assist in the hunt.-_  

“You must have appealed to the Council yourself and got the same answer,” The Arbiter stated. 

 _-Quite so Arbiter. I had some contacts that owed me favors do some digging and discovered what prompted you to do such a rash act.-_  

“Well that’s fine and dandy, but how did you wind up here if you were doing your search?” Johnson asked. 

 _-Meeting you here was actually coincidence Ambassador,-_ The Imperial Admiral admitted. _-We were responding to the report from your probe. I am more surprised to see you are lingering here.-_  

“The _Righteous Justice_ had been here Admiral,” The Arbiter said. “But Sari and one other managed to escape before it departed. We found the Phantom they escaped in not long ago.” 

 _-I see,-_ The holographic vestige turned it’s head to look at her and Sari subconsciously hid behind the Arbiter slightly, feeling a little intimidated. _-You must be Sari.-_  

“Y…yes…your Excellence,” she replied. 

 _-Then this means we can blast him out of the sky the moment we find that ship.-_  

“Actually, that is incorrect your Excellence,” Rtas said. “There is still at least one prisoner on board that ship that requires rescuing. Plus, the Arbiter and I would rather ensure Kesi’s demise personally.” 

“But so you do not feel left out, your Excellence,” Zeno piped in. “I have other intel you can act upon that is ‘Kesi related’.” 

 _-Do tell._ - 

Zeno then started informing him about the colony Kesi had started up….


	39. Whatever Works

Kesi drummed his claws on the arm of the chair impatiently, the sound making his already tense bridge crew that much more nervous.  They were lucky he had yet to vent his fury upon them for their incompetence.  In all fairness though, it wasn’t the _bridge crew’s_ fault completely, but rather the idiots that were supposed to be patrolling the hallways: that prison guard especially, whom did the smart thing and committed suicide before Kesi got his hands on him.  That didn’t keep Kesi from beating his lifeless body to a pulp however, which managed to alleviate _some_ of his anger. 

The Pirate leader was still quite upset though, all things considering.  He never expected that spineless medic to make such a move, freeing the humans and stealing Sari aboard that Phantom.  A part of him worried at the timing of this act, knowing a Phantom wasn’t designed to survive slipspace and the pull of the portal would likely suck them in if they exited the ship too late.  Was the Phantom still intact and the occupants still alive? 

 _I would rather they be dead then still alive,_   Kesi thought darkly.  _Even if it meant my line would end, considering Tala has been useless in providing me with another child._  

“Sir?”  one of the crew nervously said, getting his attention.  “We will be exiting slipspace in a few moments.” 

“About time,”  Kesi grumbled.  “The moment we are out, start scanning for that Phantom!” 

There was a moment of relieved silence, the crew glad to be finally out of slipspace again.  They knew Kesi’s attention would be focused on something other then them, for now at least.  That relief did not last long, however, when they started scanning.  

The first indication Kesi had that something was seriously wrong was when one of the crew started screaming.  Kesi watched the man dumbfounded as he then ran off the bridge, a look of utter terror on his face.  “What the…hell….”  Kesi muttered, completely shocked by the gross display of cowardice. 

“Um…sir…,” one of the other crewmembers said, his voice trembling.  “Take a look at this….” 

Kesi quickly rose from his chair and went to that console, where his eye widened in shock.  No wonder that man had ran off in terror:  they had emerged right in the middle of a loyalist fleet!  “Get us out of here!”  he barked.  “Before they realize who we are!” 

“But sir…it will take several minutes before the slipspace drive is ready again!” 

That gave Kesi pause: it certainly was a problem.  “Hold our position then.” 

“Sir…?” 

“They will not risk firing upon us for fear of hitting their own!”  Kesi growled.  “Prime the turrets in case they think of trying to board us.  This should give us enough time for the slipspace drive to charge up enough to let us jump!” 

\-- 

Meanwhile on the _Shadow of Intent_ , Rtas, Zeno and the Imperial Admiral were just finishing their discussion.  Johnson had returned to the _Allegiance_ an hour ago, citing that he wasn’t needed but still wanted to be kept informed.  The Arbiter took Sari to his quarters for some rest but hadn’t bothered to return:  Rtas had a feeling why and he didn’t blame him.  The Imperial Admiral was just about to sign off when Tegs announced, “Shipmaster, we have a slipspace rupture near by.” 

“Where?”  Rtas asked. 

“Um…right in the middle of the Admiral’s fleet….” 

 _~What!?~_   the Imperial Admiral bellowed.  _~Who would do such a reckless move?  What is the ID on that ship!?~_   The last sentence was said more to his own crew then to them. _~What!!??  You have got to be kidding me!~_   The Admiral’s eyes were wide in shock. 

“Excellency?”  Rtas queried, confused. 

 _~It is the_ Righteous Justice! _~_  

It was Rtas’ turn to look shocked.  “He must have come back to look for Sari,” he mused once the shock wore off after a second or so.  “And he will likely try to flee right away.” 

“So far he hasn’t budged Shipmaster,” Tegs said. 

 _~Because the bastard knows I cannot risk firing on him without hitting my own ships!~_ the Imperial Admiral growled. 

Rtas’ mind started working, knowing the pirate will attempt to jump the moment his slipspace drives were recharged.  “Excellency, what ships are in closest proximity to the _Righteous Justice?_ ” 

There was a brief pause as the Imperial Admiral got this information.  _~Two cruisers and a Carrier.  Why?~_  

The Shipmaster grinned.  “Have those two cruisers pin the ship between them.  It cannot go into slipspace if it cannot move.” 

The Imperial Admiral blinked a couple of times before responding.  _~You are crazy…but that just might work.~_

\-- 

“Shipmaster!  Two of the fleet’s cruisers are heading straight for us!” 

“What direction?”  Kesi demanded. 

“Port and starboard!  They look like they are going to ram us!” 

“What the hell…,” Kesi growled, wondering just what those ships were thinking. “Evade!” 

Kesi felt his stomach hit his spine as the _Righteous Justices’_ engines flared to life.  It was too little too late however, as the cruisers hadn’t needed to travel far to make physical contact.  The ship shuddered from the impact, alarms blaring due to multiple sections being damaged.  “Report!”  Kesi barked. 

What he got wasn’t good.  A number of the turrets were knocked offline from the duel impact, along with their engines and slipspace drive.  Several sections of the ship had to be sealed off due to hull breaches.  Kesi slammed his fist on the arm of the chair, bellowing a cry of denial.  Then he got the report of Phantoms inbound.  “Activate the self destruct!”  he cried.  “We will _not_ be taken alive and we will take as many of them down as we can with us!” 

“Uh…sir…there is something wrong with the self destruct system…,” a crewmen said nervously. 

“What do you mean there is ‘something wrong’ with it?”  Kesi growled, in no mood for further problems as he grabbed the poor man by the neck.  The crewmen simply pointed and when Kesi looked, he saw written on the console in big letters: 

//I CANNOT DO THAT KESI\\\ 

The console was smashed with an irate Kesi’s fist seconds later.  “All hands prepare to repel boarders!”  he bellowed.  “To the death!” 

\-- 

“Niiice…,” Zeno cooed as they watched the _Righteous Justice_ get effectively pinned between the two cruisers.  “Now all you need to do is tie a nice big bow on it for us.” 

The visage of the Imperial Admiral glared at him, muttering something that sounded like ‘how can you stand him?’.  _~I am sending in some troops to secure the ships hanger bays,~_   he said after a moment.  _~I will also be leaving those two cruisers in your care while the rest of my Fleet tends to that colony.  I leave the apprehension of Kesi himself in your hands.~_  

“He will most likely not allow himself to be taken alive Excellency, but that will suit us just fine either way.”  Rtas replied, saluting his superior.  The Imperial Admiral nodded then signed off, which at that point he turned to his crew.  “Zeno, send word to those cruisers to watch for any escape pods or Phantoms that do not belong to us:  they are to be captured if possible, otherwise destroyed.  Tegs, this ship is to cover any of those that get out of range of the cruisers.” 

“As you command Shipmaster,”  Tegs replied. 

“Orders sent Commander,”  Zeno announced. 

“Excellent.  Rally the troops Zeno, then you are to meet me in the hanger bay.” 

“Oooo I get to join in?”  Zeno said, beaming. 

“Yes Zeno, I have a specific task for you in mind,”  Rtas replied with a faint groan as he rose from his seat. 

\-- 

 _~All troops report to the hanger bay for immediate departure.~_  

The Arbiter raised his head at the announcement and sighed, wishing he had just a little longer.  He was laying in his bed, stripped down to his bodysuit, with Sari lying next to him, her head on his chest.  Sari herself stirred, looking a bit confused.  “What is going on?” she asked. 

“I do not know, but it sounds big,”  he replied, but before he could contact anyone to ask however, there was a knock at the door.  When he gave permission to enter, the door opened to reveal Rtas.  “What is going on Rtas?”  he asked him. 

“ _Righteous Justice_ came to us, Arbiter,”  Rtas replied, the news shocking him.  “It is disabled and waiting for us to board her.  Come Arbiter, it is time to finish this.” 

“At last….”  The Arbiter said with a faint growl and immediately started putting his armor on. 

“It seems so soon…,”  Sari muttered as she watched.  “Yet…at the same time I am not surprised Kesi would turn back to try to find me.  Gods, I hope mother is alright….” 

“We will not know until we get there love,”  The Arbiter said, nuzzling her reassuringly.  “If she is as strong as you say she is, she probably is fine.” 

“I…I hope so,”  Sari said softly.  “Be careful…who knows what Kesi may try to pull,”  Then, to Rtas’ surprise, Sari hugged him.  The Arbiter smirked when he saw that he flinched. “You be careful too…brother.” 

“We will, do not worry,”  The Arbiter said as he gave her one last embrace before he left the room with Rtas, the pair now running for the hanger bay.  “I thought you were over that?”  he said to his old friend teasingly. 

“I am,”  Rtas replied.  “I am…just not used to having a sibling that actually _cares_ about me yet.” 

“Fair enough.” 

The pair reached the hanger bay moments later, where dozens of troops were gearing up and boarding Phantoms.  Zeno was already there waiting for them.  As they boarded a Phantom themselves, Zeno said.  “Commander, according to reports we got in just before I left my station, the _Righteous Justice_ is almost completely disabled.  Her engines are dead and her slipspace drive is likely offline.  It seems our method of ensuring he did not escape did more damage then we hoped.” 

“He is a sitting duck then, as the humans would say,”  Rtas said with a grin.  “He may still have the self destruct system however, so we just keep our ears open for its activation.” 

“If he has not already activated it,”  Zeno pointed out.  “That said Commander, what is going to be my mission?” 

“You will be in charge of finding any prisoners that are still alive and escorting them to our Phantoms,”  Rtas replied. 

“Aww but I wanted to go pirate hunting,”  Zeno said in a mock whine. 

Rtas sighed:  he really did not want to deal with Zeno’s antics right now.  “I am sure you will get your fill of pirate killing during this task,”  he told him. 

“Of course Commander,”  Zeno said with a smile.  “And if I should come across their leader?” 

“You are only to report his whereabouts,”  Rtas said sternly.  “He is to be dwelt with by the Arbiter and myself.” 

Zeno let out a disappointed snort.  “So you two get to hunt the big fish, no fair.” 

“It is personal for both of us,”  Rtas explained with a faint growl.  “So we have the right to call dibs on that bastard.” 

“Personal?”  Zeno tilted his head in slight confusion.  “I can see how it is personal in the Arbiter’s case, but you?” 

This time Rtas simply smiled, relishing the thought that he knew something Zeno didn’t for once.  “I know something you do not and I am leaving it at that,”  he told him. 

“Great…this is going to be driving me nuts until I figure it out.” 

“That is the idea.” 

“You are cruel Commander.” 

“Worry about it later,”  Rtas said, turning serious again.  “Your primary concern will be search and rescue.” 

“Yes of course,”  Zeno thumped his fist against his chest.  “I will not fail you Commander.” 

“I know you will not,”  Rtas breathed quietly. 

The Phantoms finished loading and took off moments later.  “Attention all troops,”  Rtas said over the Phantom’s comm frequency.  “Your primary task is to subdue or eliminate all pirates onboard the _Righteous Justice_.  Kesi and his men will no doubt fight to the bitter-end.  Do not hold back.  Show no mercy to them!  Sub-Commander ‘Ribal will be in charge of the search and rescue portion of this battle.  There are potentially four humans and one female Sangheili aboard as prisoners: if you find them, you are to report to him and assist in their escape. 

“If you come across Kesi himself, do not engage him:  you are to report his location to myself and the Arbiter only!  May justice be finally served today!” 

There was a loud cheer in the Phantom. “May Ramekozu give us all the strength to accomplish this task,”  he heard the Arbiter mutter beside him. 

“Ramekozu?”  Rtas asked, looking at him with a puzzled expression. 

The Arbiter gave him a sidelong glance, not looking the least bit embarrassed, and shook his head.  “Kesi is more important right now,”  he said. 

“Yes…indeed.”  Rtas said, making a mental note to ask him about this ‘Ramekozu’ later.  

When they landed in the hanger bay of the _Righteous Justice_ , the chaos of battle had already started.  As they disembarked to join the fray, Rtas saw Zeno briefly before the SpecOps activated his camo and disappeared.  He looked at the Arbiter and nodded, the Arbiter nodding in turn as they both drew their weapons and proceeded to cut into the pirate’s defenses….


	40. Tala

“Shipmaster!”  a panicked Sangheili cried, running up to him.  “The Arbiter is on the ship along with Rtas ‘Vadum!” 

Kesi snarled and cursed his misfortune.  He knew the Arbiter had to be here to hunt him down specifically, but why was Rtas with him?  The other thing that nagged at him was that they were boarding him in the first place.  Then it dawned on him, it wasn’t so much that they wanted him alive, but that there were others on board they _would_ want alive.  That meant they were able to retrieve Sari successfully, which meant…. 

“The humans,”  he growled, turning toward his subordinate.  “Kill them.  I will not give them the satisfaction of being rescued.” 

“As you wish Shipmaster,”  the pirate quickly left to accomplish that task. 

 _Tala,_   Kesi thought as he ignited his sword and left the bridge.  _As much as it hurts me to do so, I cannot permit you to be rescued either._  

\-- 

Tala watched with a faint, grim smile as the battle from the hanger bay started spilling into the adjacent corridors.  Kesi’s forces were quickly losing ground, both due to superior tactics from the invading Loyalists and the sudden drop in morale when the Arbiter himself arrived.  Quickly, she ducked back fully into the tunnel, just as a squad of Loyalists ran past chasing a group of disheartened pirates. 

A part of her really wanted to reveal herself and let herself be rescued, be reunited with her daughter again.  That the Loyalists were boarding the ship rather then destroying it outright told her that Sari was rescued successfully:  how else would they know there were prisoners that needed rescuing?  In her hearts, however, she knew that was not to be her fate: a fate she chose when she opted to stay behind rather then to go with her during the escape.  _As much as I would want to live out the rest of my years with you Sari, that is not possible,_   Tala thought sadly as she went back down the tunnel.  _I have one more task to complete and that one will surely bring my end._ The elder female clenched her mandibles firmly, setting her mind on the task she now put herself on.  She needed to find her so-called husband and ensure he did not escape. 

No matter what the cost. 

\-- 

“What is going on Captain?” 

Captain Wilson looked at the private, his expression carefully neutral.  Earlier they felt the ship shake with such violence they felt it was going to fall to pieces.  Now they could hear the faint sounds of fighting going on.  “I am not certain,”  he replied as he carefully got to his feet and did his best to look around outside their cell.  “Either Kesi has a mutiny on his hands or this ship has been boarded.” 

“Rescue…it must mean we are about to be rescued!”  someone said. 

“Do not assume anything!”  Wilson reminded him.  “We don’t know who has boarded the ship.  Hell, it could be Brutes for all we know.” 

“Yeah, but at least Brutes would just kill us and be done with it.  Not keep us in cells like domestic livestock….” 

Wilson grunted but didn’t respond to that: partly because he agreed and partly due to seeing someone coming.  He had hoped it was someone that was going to rescue them, but instead it was one of Kesi’s minions.  The weary human caught the murderous gleam in his eye and backed away from the cell door the best he could on his injured leg.  “As much as the Shipmaster would have loved to keep you alive,” the Elite said evenly as he deactivated the door.  “He cannot allow you to be rescued.”  

The pirate raised his plasma rifle and Wilson was about to tackle the fiend, injured leg or not.  It was a good thing he didn’t, as suddenly a prong of an energy sword appeared in the pirate’s chest.  The pirate gasped in surprise, dropping his weapon, then finally crumpled to the floor.  The air then crackled faintly as the form of a huge, black and purple-armored Elite appeared, a curious looking energy sword in his hand.  It looked like someone had put one of the prongs on backwards, said prong aligned with the underside of his forearm. 

“Captain Wilson I presume?”  the elite said, snapping him out of his stunned shock. 

“That is correct…er….” he wasn’t sure how to address the Elite. 

“Spec Ops Recon Specialist Sub-Commander Zeno ‘Ribal,”  the Elite replied with a grin.  “Though you may call me just ‘Zeno’.  Are you all able to move under your own power?”  

Wilson took a quick look at his fellow humans, whom all nodded.  “Yes Zeno, we are able.” 

“Come then.  Let us get you out of here!” 

Wilson grabbed the plasma rifle the pirate was going to use to kill them and tossed it to the only other human that was in good enough shape to use a weapon.  He then took the pirate’s secondary weapon as his own.  Four humans and a Spec Ops then started on the journey back to the hanger bay. 

\-- 

Kesi pulled his sword out of the chest of the Loyalist Minor he had just slain, his body joining the other two on the floor in front of him.  One of them had started talking on his comm before Kesi impaled him, no doubt reporting his whereabouts to his superiors.  _The Arbiter must have specifically ordered them to only report when they see me._   Kesi thought with a frustrated snarl as he moved on with his hunt for his mate. 

As much as he would like to kill the Arbiter with his own two hands, he knew the Arbiter wouldn’t be at a disadvantage like he was over two years ago when they last fought.  This time it would be Kesi himself at the disadvantage, especially if Rtas went up against him at the same time.  No, he had no intention of fighting either of those two and once he found Tala and dwelt with her, he intended to escape.  Though how he hadn’t quite worked out yet. 

 _Where is that blasted female?_ he thought with a growl.  She hadn’t been in their room, or other places he usually found her at.  Kesi started to wonder if she had beelined for the Loyalist’s forces to make her own escape.  The more he searched and failed to find her, the more it set into his mind that this was likely the case.  _Forget her,_ he finally decided with a snarl after taking a quick look in the cargo hold. _She is useless to me anyway!_  

“Should you not be leading your troops against the boarders Kesi?”  a voice echoed from somewhere in the room, making him stop in his tracks. 

“Tala,”  Kesi growled as he looked around.  “Show yourself.  I need to have a word with you.” 

“Oh!  How perfect! I have things to tell you myself my _darling_ husband,”  the sarcasm in her voice did not escape him. 

“Tala…enough with the game and show yourself,”  Kesi growled as he prowled around the room, looking for her. 

“Indeed…I too am tired of the game,”  Tala replied.  “It is time to let the…’cat out of the bag’ as the humans say.  For instance…did you like the little message I left on the self destruct system?” 

Kesi froze in his tracks:  she couldn’t possibly be implying that…. 

”There is no way a _woman_ like you could do such a thing!”  he snapped. 

There was a distinctive snort.  “You give us women far too little credit Kesi,”  Tala responded.  “Over two years of being stuck on this musty ship was plenty of time to learn how to manipulate some of its systems, including communications and shielding systems.” 

“So it was you that….” 

“Yes dear.  I was the one that messed up communications and lowered the shields during Sari’s escape.  I was the one that altered the ship ID when you raided the _Material Reserve_.  I also altered the shift schedules of the crew _and_ I gathered all the information on that colony of yours to give it to Telo just before he escaped with Sari.” 

Kesi blinked in numb shock, the pieces of the puzzle falling in place now.  He suspected he had a saboteur of sorts on board for a while now, but never even suspected his own _wife_!  Telo was more likely in his mind then she was!  “Why…?”  he caught himself asking. 

“Why?”  Tala echoed, her face finally appearing at the top of a stack of crates.  “Because you became a monster, Kesi.  A long time ago, I thought I could learn to love you, despite my heart belonging to someone else.  But no, you became the monster you are today:  a monster that ruined my life and tried to ruin the life of my daughter.  A daughter that is not even yours to begin with!” 

“What….you lie!” 

“It is true!  All these years you blamed me for the lack of children, when it was you that are infertile all along!”  Tala spat.  “I laid with the one I truly loved one night and conceived as a result.  Sari’s real father is the same sire as the one that commands the _Shadow of Intent_!” 

 _Rtas ‘Vadum…that means…,_   Kesi’s eye widened when it clicked.  _Anko ‘Tidumee!_   He remembered now, how Tala and Anko were childhood friends, remembered just how close they seemed to be.  Kesi thought Tala would have remained loyal to him despite her feelings, but it seemed he was wrong. 

He felt things starting to fall apart in his mind.  Everything he worked for, gone or about to be gone, all because of _her_.  All because she did not stay loyal to him!  “You little whore!”  he cried, leaping at and slamming into the stack of crates.  Tala gasped and leapt from the tumbling tower, landing heavily on the ground close by. 

“I do not know why you are so angry,”  Tala taunted as he stalked toward her.  “If you were not so full of pride and arrogance, none of this would have happened.” 

“Silence!”  Kesi slapped her with his free hand, then lifted her up by the collar of her shirt.  “If you had given me the son I wanted instead of that _freak_ of a daughter _both_ your lives would have been better!” 

“Heh, still in denial then eh?”  Tala said smugly.  “You would have killed Sari, boy or not, when you found out she was not yours….” 

“Enough!”  Kesi roared, thrusting his sword forward, impaling her through the gut.  Tala gasped, but that was the only reaction he got out of her before throwing her to the floor in disgust. 

“No!” 

Kesi turned toward the new voice and saw both the Arbiter and Rtas running toward him.  With a snarl he charged at them, his earlier resolve on not facing them at all now non-existent.  As much as he did not want to believe Tala’s words, he knew deep in his hearts it had to be true.  In short, he was a man that no longer had anything to lose…. 

\-- 

It was a strange feeling, Tala realized as she lay here, feeling her life gradually ebb away.  Yet there was no pain, when she knew in her mind that being impaled like that should have hurt.  It didn’t matter now though, she did what she set out to do:  delay Kesi long enough for the Arbiter to find him.  She felt content now and let herself relax for the first time in many years. 

Then she felt something lift her head gently and she opened her eye.  “Anko…,”  she said weakly, mistaking the armored warrior hovering over her to be her lost love.  “Is that…no…,”  Tala realized her mistake when she saw the man was missing half his mandibles, making it clear who he was.  “Rtas…,”  she smiled, pride filling her chest at seeing the son Anko was so proud of.  “At last…I get to see you.” 

“Save your strength,”  Rtas told her, his expression grim as he no doubt realized the gravity of her injury.  “I will get you out of here and to medical help….” 

Tala was already shaking her head, but still smiling.  “It is…too late for me…Rtas.” 

“No…you cannot die now!”  Rtas protested.  “Father bid me to save you…a bid I wish I had gotten years sooner!” 

“Shhh…,”  Tala cooed, reaching up and stroking the man’s distraught face.  “I am saved,”  she said softly.  “My…only regret…is that I did not listen…to your father…and ensured…your sister was safe….” 

“She is safe now,”  Rtas said reassuringly.  “On my honor and the Arbiter’s, she will come to no further harm.” 

Tala sighed with relief, his words only confirming what she felt in her hearts.  She felt a tug then, a calling, one that was near impossible to resist.  “Then…I go to your father now.  I hear him calling me….”  Tala said quietly, tears of joy in her eye. 

“Go in peace and honor, suffer no more,”  Rtas said softly, tears in his own eyes. 

With a smile on her face, Tala ‘Behon closed her eye and breathed her last.


	41. Kesi's Last Stand

Rtas stared at her limp body, tears in his eyes.  If things had happened differently, she could have been his mother; a fact that hit him harder then he thought it would have.  Despite her assurances, he still felt like he had failed her, yet, going by the smile on her face it seemed she preferred to have met her end in this way.  “Take care of her father…,”  he whispered as he positioned her body into a pose of honor. 

Yet still he lingered, despite the sounds of the duel between Kesi and the Arbiter not far away.  He knew he should go aid the Arbiter, but his body refused to move.  Then a strange, yet familiar warmth enveloped him, comforting and soothing.  It was almost as if his father was there with him, embracing him lovingly as he often did when Rtas woke up from one of his night terrors when he was a boy.  

 _You cannot be blamed for something that is beyond your control._  

 _But I still failed…_ Rtas thought. 

 _The only time you truly fail, my son, is if you give up._  

 _Father…_ His eyes snapped open: was that just a memory he just recalled…or something else?  It didn’t matter, for the words held truth in them.  He hadn’t failed his father, or Sari and her mother.  Not yet, not unless Kesi managed to escape, and Rtas ‘Vadum wasn’t about to let _that_ happen!  His sword ignited anew in his hand as he rushed to join the Arbiter.... 

\-- 

Briefly, the two combatants had circled each other, trying to stare each other down.  Then they exploded into fury of flashing swords, flying fists and feet.  One fought out of rage, the other like a cornered animal:  both parties only just keeping enough sense in their actions to avoid getting themselves killed while trying to kill the other.  Regardless, neither were giving any quarter, though thus far only minor injuries had been dealt to either. 

Their swords became locked at one point and the battle of wills forced the two blades downward.  The Arbiter hissed and lashed out with a punch, clipping Kesi on the snout.  Kesi retaliated with his own punch, which landed more solidly on the side of the Arbiter’s jaw.  The Arbiter let the blow spin him around, their swords becoming unlocked in the process.  He brought his sword up as he faced Kesi again just in time to parry a blow. 

The Arbiter lashed out with a hoof, catching Kesi in the chest, however the pirate’s shields absorbed most of the impact.  Kesi slashed at him with his sword, the tip of the prongs glancing at his chest, making his own shields scream in alarm.  The Arbiter swung with his own sword, but the pirate was able to bring his up in time.  With a roar, the Arbiter rushed forward, crashing into Kesi and slamming him against a wall.  Kesi hissed and snapped at him, trying to bite: he responded with a head butt, taking down the last of the pirate’s shields for the moment. 

Before he could use that to his advantage, Kesi managed to bring up both hooves and kick him in the chest.  The Arbiter was sent flying back, his armor making sparks on the floor as he skidded a short distance.  He got himself back up quickly, only to be knocked down again as Kesi tackled him.  His sword arm pinned, the Arbiter used his free arm instead, punching Kesi in the neck.  While the pirate was gagging, he brought both hooves up and pushed him off him, Kesi landing on his back. 

The Arbiter quickly rose to his feet and brought his sword down at Kesi, but the pirate rolled out of harms way, whipping his sword up in the process.  The wild swing caught the Arbiter on the right forearm, biting into the underside of his arm.  The Arbiter grunted but otherwise did not react, not with his opponent getting back on his feet.  One problem, the plasma of his sword had fused with the molten metal of the floor he impaled. 

Having no choice, the Arbiter let go of his weapon, the safety feature kicking in and shutting it off.  Before he could retrieve it Kesi lashed at him, forcing him to dance away to keep himself from getting cut to pieces.  Weaponless, he was forced to duck and weave while trying to maneuver close enough to his sword so he could retrieve it.  Kesi, however, was not allowing it, pressing his advantage. 

Then Rtas finally joined the fight, the SpecOps Commander blocking a blow from the pirate and enabling the Arbiter to dive for his weapon.  Now that he was rearmed, it was Kesi that was at the disadvantage.  Yet Kesi didn’t seem to care about that, instead continuing to attack. 

It was impressive that Kesi held out as long as he did against two opponents of exceptional skill, especially with only one eye.  However, it was only a matter of time before he was overwhelmed.  The fight ended when Rtas lopped off his sword arm and the Arbiter decapitated his left leg at the knee. It was only then that Kesi seemed to snap out of his crazed state, as his blood pooled on the floor from his two cut limbs. 

“I am beaten…,”  the pirate conceded, looking up at the pair, pushing his torso up with his remaining arm.  “Finish me…” 

“You do not deserve a quick death, let alone an honorable one,”  The Arbiter growled, his hand tightening around his sword hilt.  

“Then…maybe I can convince you otherwise…,” Kesi said, a faint smile on his face.  “Are you not curious Arbiter…how I found out about you and Sari?” 

“It does not matter now, you are dead.” 

“Oh but it does!”  Kesi giggled, the blood loss starting to affect his mind.  “One of your own told me.  A Councilor….Hyso was his name.” 

Both the Arbiter and Rtas looked at each other, mandibles open slightly in shock.  Yet, was it truly _that_ surprising?  “He will answer for his crimes as well then,”  Rtas snarled. 

“Good!”  Kesi exclaimed.  “Bastard…lied to me…did not tell me that little wrench was not of my blood…” 

“I doubt Hyso knew of Sari’s true parentage,”  The Arbiter muttered, more to himself then in an effort to console the dying pirate. 

“Does not matter!”  Kesi growled.  “He failed to do his part anyway…and now I have _nothing_ , thanks to that bitch of a wife of mine.  I remained faithful to her all these years, not once did I stray!  This… _this_ …is what I get for it!  I should have killed her long ago…little lying deceitful….” 

Kesi ranted and rambled for a couple more moments before the blood loss finally claimed him.  Throughout his ranting it was hard for the Arbiter to stay his hand and not finish him off:  not out of pity, but just to shut him up.  Only once Kesi breathed his last did he reignite his blade and with one swipe, decapitated the pirate’s head. The Arbiter picked up the disembodied head, not to keep as a trophy, but to show as evidence of Kesi’s death. 

“There was nothing I could do for her…,” Rtas said regretfully, referring to Sari’s mother.  “Save to promise that Sari will be protected.” 

The Arbiter nodded in acknowledgement, then hung his head in sorrow:  he knew Sari would not take the news of her mother’s death well.  “We will ensure she is given a proper funeral,”  he said.  “It will be the least we can do.” 

“Commander,”  the pair turned to see Zeno appear out of thin air.  “Four humans successfully rescued.  I am sorry I could not find the female in time….” 

“No one is to blame but Kesi for her death,”  Rtas reassured him.  “Come, we are done here.” 

“Shall I carry her body for you Commander?” 

“No, that will be my honor.” 

\-- 

The fighting onboard the _Righteous Justice_ died down quickly after Kesi’s death.  The pirates that were still alive at that time either died fighting or took their own lives, staying true to the Sangheili belief that it was better to die then to be captured by the enemy.  The Arbiter and Rtas returned to the _Shadow of Intent_ while Zeno led the remaining forces in a final sweep of the _Righteous Justice._   Sari was waiting in the hanger bay for them when they arrived. 

The pale-skinned female’s eyes lit up when she saw them initially, but when she saw the limp form of her mother in Rtas’ arms, she sank to her knees and wailed in disbelief.  The Arbiter immediately went to her side, dropping Kesi’s gory head for the time being as he wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace.  “She died with you in her thoughts my love…,”  he told her softly.  “She suffers no more and is at peace.” 

“But to lose her again…after only recently discovering she was alive….”  Sari sobbed, burying her head in his neck. 

“You still have your brother…and you still have me,”  he reminded her.  “And we will not be leaving you anytime soon.” 

Sari pulled away enough to look at him, the Arbiter seeing the tears in her eyes.  He watched as she looked up at Rtas, whom nodded in acknowledgement of his words.  She then nodded in acceptance and rose to her feet, the Arbiter rising with her.  The trio then headed for the infirmary to see about tending their wounds and having Kesi’s head and Tala’s body frozen for the trip back home. 

Inside, Ambassador Johnson was talking to the four humans Zeno rescued earlier, while the medics were giving them a once over before clearing them to return with Johnson to the _Allegiance._   When they saw Tala, the remorse was clear on their faces; the female had likely been their only source of hope during their time on the _Righteous Justice._   Telo seemed especially hit hard by the sight, Tala having been his only real friend for the last couple of years. 

After Rtas had set Tala’s body on the bed, one of the humans, Captain Wilson, approached her.  He stared for a moment before removing something from his uniform and placing it on her chest.  “Sir…,” one of other humans muttered.  “Your Silver Star?”

 “She deserves it more then me,”  Wilson said quietly. 

“I will see what the UNSC can give her for her sacrifice,”  Johnson said solemnly. 

 _~Shipmaster,~_   Tegs’ voice suddenly said over the infirmary console.  _~We have multiple slipspace ruptures close by.~_  

“Surely it cannot be the Imperial Admiral’s fleet: they had only just left,”  Rtas replied. 

 _~Not Sangheili Shipmaster, human. Ten ships in total.~_  

“Boy did they arrive late to the party,”  Johnson quipped.  “They are going to be bummed they didn’t get a piece of the action.” 

“They will still get some action,”  Rtas assured them.  “We can give them the privilege of destroying the _Righteous Justice_ once all our troops are safely off board.” 

“What?  You are not going to just…recycle it or something?”  Johnson asked. 

“No Sangheili of sound mind would want to serve on a ship so badly tainted with dishonor,”  Rtas said simply. 

“Oh…ok…I _guess_ that makes sense….”  Johnson said, muttering something afterward about ‘weird Elite customs’. 

\-- 

Johnson got into communications with the commanding ship of the human fleet, a fresh off the assembly line carrier dubbed _I’ll Be Back_.  Fleet Admiral Abrams, while disappointed about missing the fight, was grateful to hear that Captain Wilson and a handful of his crew had survived Kesi’s antics.  Wilson then made an odd request:  to honor Tala’s sacrifice, he had asked for a ’21 gun salute’. 

“What is that?”  Sari asked when she heard it. 

“A ceremonial discharge of weapons to honor the fallen,”  The Arbiter explained.  “Though _usually_ it is done on the surface of a planet with battle rifles, at least the one I was witness to was.” 

“First time for everything Arbiter,”  Johnson said.  “Oh, Halfy, Fleet Admiral Abrams would like those two cruisers to move out of the way:  said something about their AI not being known for her accuracy.” 

“Tell them not to fire until I give them the all clear,”  Rtas said.  “Zeno is still doing a sweep on the ship.”  He activated the long-range communications.  “Zeno, what is your status?” 

 _~Just about done Commander,~_   Zeno replied.  _~We will be leaving in a few moments.~_  

“Let me know when you are well clear of the ship Zeno; the humans are itching to destroy it.” 

 _~Understood Commander.~_  

\-- 

Six minutes later Rtas gave the human ships the all clear, the two cruisers that had been previously pinning the _Righteous Justice_ now along side the _Shadow of Intent._ Across the fleet, the various ships with their MAC guns ready to fire came about, thrusters engaging and lining up their barrels with the cruiser in the distance. Their was a thunderous roar, seven of the ten UNSC ships fired at once, their hulls shuddering, their barrels becoming hot blue as the slugs traveled out and into space. Several second’s later, a second salvo was fired, and then a third. 

The MAC rounds pierced space like a hot knife slicing through butter; leaving behind a hellish red trail in their wake. The first salvo slammed into the center section of the ship, punching clean through and exiting out the other side. The destroyer listed hard to port as mini-explosive decompressions chained across the outer hull. 

The second salvo impacted a few moment later, this one more toward the fore of the ship. It’s nosed crumpled inward from multiple impacts, while one impact had sheered it cleanly off. Finally, the last salvo struck the aft of the ship, several rounds punched cleanly through, but one round had found the ships reactor. 

For a second, space was quiet, then small explosions chained up the length of the vessel. Fire appeared along the lateral lines, and explosions erupted out of the hanger bays and other open areas. Finally, the reactor succumbed to being stabbed, and gave out, a massive explosion ensued, ripping the ship apart – it’s superstructure no longer capable of holding it together. 

A barrage of missiles and plasma soon arrived as the UNSC fleet opened fire. Missiles streaked through space, impacting on the sections of the destroyer that were closest to them – while the plasma shots from the UNSC Carrier  _‘I’ll Be back’_ burned away most of what remained. 

The _Righteous Justice_ , and her unfortunate legacy of piracy, was no more.


	42. Epilogue

For the trip home the small human fleet opted to escort the _Shadow of Intent_ , while the two cruisers from the Imperial Admiral’s fleet left to rejoin their own forces.  Sari pestered Rtas about their father during the journey, a subject Rtas was happy to talk about.  He spared no detail about their sire, telling her everything he knew about him.  Sari expressed her sorrow in not being able to meet him, a sentiment Rtas shared. 

A couple of days into the return trip, they got word from the Imperial Admiral that the colony had been successfully raided.  The colonists that were loyal to Kesi either surrendered or were slain during the battle.  Those that were there against their will, mostly women and children, happily allowed the Admiral’s forces to rescue them and were now on their way back home to their keeps.  

Things got a little tense once they arrived in Sanghelios space.  Councilor ‘Malic had security forces waiting for them and the Arbiter and Rtas were taken into custody immediately.  From there they went straight to the Councilor chamber where ‘Malic started listing the crimes they had committed.  Ambassador Johnson, Fleet Admiral Abrams and Captain Wilson argued in their defense, as did Sari, whom happily pointed out her true parentage.  ‘Malic didn’t seem phased at all by their arguments and was about to hand down his judgment when Zeno intervened.  

Zeno, with a smirk on his face, played the audio of ‘Malic himself boosting about his deal with Kesi.  On top of that, Zeno had happened to capture Kesi confirming this during his dying rants.  It was then the rest of the Councilor’s revealed that they had been suspecting him of abusing his power for some time and that with the new evidence they had finally decided to remove him from his station. 

‘Malic went berserk at that point, screaming something about how the Arbiter needed to be slain before he took over everything.  The maddened Councilor then leapt at the Arbiter, murder in his eyes, but was cut down by the honor guard before he could get close to him.  The remaining Council then had the Arbiter and Rtas released from their bounds, while stating that they are pardoning their misgivings with the understanding that they were acting for the greater good.  Then they made a curious offer:  with ‘Malic now deposed, they needed a new Councilor and they offered the Arbiter the position.  The Arbiter was stunned for a moment, but accepted. 

The matter of the Sangheili Ambassador was now in question, since it was not feasible for the Arbiter to be both.  Rtas half-jokingly nominated Zeno to be the new Ambassador, stating that he had more experience working with humans now then the Arbiter did.  Johnson protested this loudly, all while the other humans and Zeno himself chuckled.  The Council mulled it over for only a few moments before agreeing with Rtas’ suggestion. 

“Great…now I will never be rid of him….”  Johnson muttered. 

“Awww do not be like that Johnson!”  Zeno quipped, putting an arm around the human.  “We are going to be the best of buds!” 

“I’m going to puke….” 

\-- 

A few days later, they held a funeral for Tala and a memorial for those that fell to Kesi’s forces during the battle.  Lord Hood co-presided with the Arbiter over the event, handling the human and Sangheili side respectively.  Captain Wilson and his surviving crew were awarded the UNSC Legion of Honor and Tala was awarded the Gold Star, which Sari accepted on her behalf.  Afterwards, there was a true 21-guns salute, the humans present saluting and the Sangheili simply bowing their heads in respect. 

“It is hard to accept that she is really gone this time…,” Sari muttered when the ceremony was over, staring at the medal in her hands. 

“She will always be with you, so long as you remember her,”  Rtas told her, the Arbiter nodding in agreement. 

“Oh!  Rtas, hun, I have news for you,”  Ella said suddenly, then whispered something in his ear hole. 

The Shipmaster’s eyes went wide. ”What!?”  he said.  “When did you find out!?” 

“This morning,”  Ella said innocently. 

“What is it brother?”  Sari asked curiously. 

“Well…um…,”  Rtas seemed suddenly at a loss for words.  “Apparently…I am going to be a daddy….” 

“Oh that is wonderful brother!”  Sari said, her mood brightening at the news. 

“Oh! Halfy is going to be daddy?”  Johnson suddenly piped.  “You big stud!  Here!”  the human suddenly took out one of his unlit cigars and popped it between Rtas’ mandibles.  “Congratulations!” 

“What the…,” Rtas said, pulling the cigar out from between his mandibles. 

“A strange human custom,” Zeno explained.  “Apparently they like to try to kill each other with cancer causing sticks whenever they find out they are going to be a father.” 

“I heard that…smart ass…,”  Johnson growled. 

\--

 ** _One year later…_**  

Rtas came out of the restroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.  He walked over to the dresser and took out some fresh cloths to put on, smiling faintly as he looked at his father’s helmet, which was sitting on top of it.  Rtas had retrieved it from his ship soon after the Council had pardoned the Arbiter and himself for their crime.  He felt no shame anymore about the past, the perceived failures he felt he had no longer existing in his mind, so now he displayed the helmet with pride. 

Something hit his back, looking down he saw a small toy.  With a chuckle he bent down and retrieved it before walking over to the crib, where his infant son was sitting, looking up at him with big amber eyes.  “Enko, what did mommy tell you about throwing things?”  he said as he put the toy back in the crib, the little boy just laughing.  “Come here you.”  The only months old child giggled and squealed as Rtas hefted him up easily into his arms.  Immediately the infant reached up and grabbed a hold of one of his mandibles. 

“Now, now, I need that,”  Rtas said, gently pulling the little hand off his mandible, the little one giggling in response.  Then he tickled his belly, making Enko burst into giggles and kick his feet. 

“Should you not be getting ready?”  Ella said as she came into the room. 

“I was, but Enko was demanding attention,”  Rtas said with a smile.  “He is getting quite the arm:  threw a toy from his crib to the dresser and managed to hit me in the back.  I cannot tell if he is getting better at his aim or if he was just lucky.” 

Ella giggled at that.  “You really should finish getting dressed and get going,“  Ella said as she nuzzled him, then took Enko from him.  “Azu said things look imminent and you _know_ how these things can be.” 

“Yes…I do,”  Rtas said with a chuckle, recalling what happened with Enko’s birth as he got dressed.  The little one was technically an Earth citizen because he grew impatient and wanted to be born a month early while they were visiting the humans.  On the human holiday they call ‘Christmas’ in fact.  “Behave yourself Enko, daddy will be back home soon,”  he said once he finished dressing himself. 

“Ba!”  Enko cried, flapping his arms down in some gesture he couldn’t interpret yet.  Rtas simply chuckled and nuzzled both him and Ella before heading out. 

It was hard to imagine, that a little over a year ago he wouldn’t have been able to get close to a women, let alone successfully sire a child with one.  Normally, as an aristocrat, not to mention Sangheili traditions, he wouldn’t be so involved in his son’s care.  However, Ella had no brothers to tend to him and Rtas didn’t know any of his own mother’s brothers.  Besides, he didn’t care much for the tradition in this case anyway, not since his own father decided to raise him for his late childhood years.  He had a feeling the Arbiter would be doing the same. 

The trip to the hospital was short and uneventful:  Rtas quickly finding which room Sari was being kept in.  The Arbiter was there naturally, sitting by her bed looking anxious.  Vl’asuna was there as well, laying on the floor on the opposite side, working at her fur, trying futilely to cover the pair of bald spots she now had.  Sari herself was resting in bed, her belly swollen with child.  Rtas raised a brow at just how big she was.  “That cannot be just one….”  he commented. 

“No…it is going to be twins.”  The Arbiter said with a slight chuckle. 

“A double blessing!  You must be proud.” 

“I will be once they are born and found to be both healthy and strong.” 

Rtas nodded and took a seat, joining in the waiting game.  They started discussing various matters as they waited, such as how Zeno was doing as the new Ambassador.  The word was that Zeno was driving Johnson nuts, but he was doing that before he became Ambassador.  The Arbiter himself was settling in as Councilor, though he would always be the Arbiter no matter what position he was in.  Then the discussion changed to how Enko was doing and how big he was getting.  “He is going to be as big as my father, if not bigger, if he keeps growing like he is.”  Rtas quipped. 

“Cannot wait to see how big he is on his first birthday,”  The Arbiter said with a laugh. 

“Azu…,”  Sari said suddenly, drawing both their attention.  She was sitting up, both hands on her belly. 

“Is it….” 

“Yes….” 

The Arbiter went into full on ‘soon to be a father’ panic mode, rushing to call the nurses.  Rtas was tempted to make fun of him, but he really couldn’t talk as he did the same thing.  Quickly, the nurses came and ushered Sari to a birthing room, the Arbiter following close behind. 

The following few hours were boring yet anxious, Rtas not permitted to be in the room during the birth itself.  Finally, he was given the signal that it was over and that he could go in.  When he came in he saw an exhausted Sari, holding two small bundles, with a proud Arbiter standing beside her.  “What happened to you?”  he asked upon seeing a fresh pair of scrapes on the Arbiter’s lower mandibles. 

“He fainted,”  Sari said with a tired giggle, the Arbiter turning his head away as he turned a bit purple in embarrassment. 

“Our noble Arbiter….fainting during one of the most blessed events,”  Rtas teased. 

“No need to keep rubbing it in…,”  The Arbiter grumbled. 

“So…what do we have here?”  the new uncle said as he leaned closer to get a better look at the new arrivals.  “Oh!  I see this one has your eyes Sari.” 

“That is Aza, a little girl,”  Sari said with a smile.  “The other is Talu, a boy.” 

“After your mother: she must be proud.” 

“I know she is, as is our father.” 

“Well Arbiter, I hope you do not have any early morning meetings for the next couple of months,”  Rtas said with a sly grin.  “Especially once these two find their lungs.” 

The Arbiter huffed.  “I will endure it.  Or I could always dump them on you before said meetings,”  he said mischievously.  “After all, you are Sari’s brother.” 

“Har, har.  No thanks: Enko is a handful by himself.” 

“Either way, it will all be worth it in the end…”  Sari pointed out, nuzzling the twins. 

“That it will my love…,”  The Arbiter agreed, nuzzling her.  “That it will.” 

~ Fin


End file.
